JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Twisted Destiny
by Casey Jarmes
Summary: This fan part of the long-running manga tells the story of Johana Joestar, the youngest daughter of a clan of heroes that protect the world from the supernatural threats. Three years after rejecting her destiny and running away from home, Johana is suddenly thrust back into the violent world of stand battles after a group of powerful foes attacks her and her friends.
1. Chapter 1: Johana Joestar

He strikes late at night. His target, a pretty young woman with brown curls, is walking home from class. He chuckles to himself as he thinks about what he's about to do. Quickly, he moves from the bushes, drawing his knife and lunging at the woman.

She runs, screaming as loud as she can. He doesn't mind; he expected her to run. She dashes for the nearest building, hoping to get away. That's when she steps into his trap.

Her foot falls into a slipknot made thin string, so thin that she can barely make it out. She falls to the ground and feels a creature crawling on her back, creating more string and binding her limbs. Suddenly, she feels very, very tired. As she slips from consciousness she looks at her back, at the creature tying her up, and sees nothing.

He walks over to his trap and smiles. The creature abandons the woman and returns to its master, taking its place on his shoulder.

Our story begins in the summer of 2011, in the City of London, on a swelteringly hot day. A young university freshman sits in the stuffy office of one of her professors, a small windowless room filled with bookshelves overflowing with old tomes. She wipes a few drops of sweat from her brow and regrets her decision to wear black. She's been sitting in the office for ten minutes now, watching as her professor silently flips through an old history book. Then she notices it, an ice cold can of soda sitting on her professor's desk next to a tuna sandwich. Beads of condensation drip down from the can and plop on the professor's wooden desk.

The student glances at her professor, who is still enthralled by his book. Slowly, she reaches for the can of soda. The ruler moves faster than the eye can see, bursting through the air and striking the student in the hand the moment her finger touches the can. The student glances up at the man holding the ruler, her professor with an angry look on his face. "I do not recall giving you permission to touch my belongings, Miss Jonestar," he says. "In fact, I recall instructing you to sit here quietly while I finished reading this passage, an instruction you seem incapable of following."

"Joestar," the student mutters.

"Excuse, me, I didn't catch that," the professor says. "Speak louder when you're spoken to."

"My name is Joestar, sir," she says.

The professor rolls his eyes. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he says, voice full of sarcasm. "Please forgive me for misremembering the stupid name of one of my countless students."

The professor, an old man named Dr. Dre, is a tall, chubby man with horn-rimmed glasses. He wears a tweed jacket and a tie covered in the logo of his favorite soda brand. He has been a history teacher for thirty years now, a position he adores because it gives him a microcosm of power, a power that he enjoys abusing as much as possible, much to the dismay of his students.

He pulls the ruler back and discovers that Miss Joestar's finger hasn't moved from the soda can. She stares at him for a moment before slowly pulling her hand back. The professor rolls his eyes.

"You made me lose my place in my book, young lady," the professor says with a scowl.

"I'm sorry," Miss Joestar mutters.

"Now then, what was it that was so urgent that you felt the need to bother me during my lunch break?"

"Mr. Dre-"

"Dr. Dre."

"Dr. Dre, I was hoping to talk to you about the recent exam."

Dr. Dre scoffs. "Of course you are," he says. "Every hour another one of my students comes here to complain about receiving a bad grade. It isn't my fault that you children decided against showing up."

"Sir, you changed the location of the test to a room on the other side of campus," Miss Joestar says. "You also moved the time of the exam to six o'clock in the morning instead of noon. And you only notified us of this change two hours after the test ended."

"Excuses, always with the excuses."

"Sir, I was wondering if there was any way I could retake the exam, seeing as it is worth thirty percent of my grade."

"Sucks to be you."

Miss Joestar sighs. "I'm' sorry to have wasted your time, sir," she says before walking out of the office.

Professor Dre chuckles and grabs his soda. He pulls the tab and a torrent of soda bursts out, soaking his coat.

The Joestars. This proud clan of British aristocrats immigrated to the United States in 1892 and became one of the wealthiest families in the country after earning fortunes in the oil and real estate markets. Using this wealth, they co-founded the Speedwagon Foundation, a top of the line medical research organization. Unbeknown to most people, the true purpose of the Foundation is the study and acquisition of supernatural phenomena.

For generations, the Joestars have dedicated themselves to this purpose, transforming themselves into honorable warriors dedicated to the protection of the world. But, after more than a century of battles, the family has begun to dwindle.

Johana Joestar was born in 1992 to Foundation President Joshua Joestar. Johana's childhood was dedicated to preparing her for her destiny as head of the Speedwagon Foundation. From the moment she was born, she spent every waking moment studying history, science, and mythology, as well as training in martial arts, so that she could one day protect the world, like every Joestar that came before her.

Johana rejected this path and ran away from home at the age of fifteen. Three years later, she moved to her family's country of origin and began studying history at Lonely Castle University in London. She wants nothing to do with her family. But, destiny is a fickle mistress, one that few can slip away from.

Johana walks out of the class building. Her friend, a Japanese girl named Kan, is leaning against the doorway, strumming a guitar. "So, is Mr. Dre still a dick?" Kan asks.

"Unfortunately," Johana replies.

"I had him my first semester. I remember one time, he gave us fifteen minutes to do a fifty-page test. One of the guys in my class actually started crying. Does he still drink that crappy knock-off soda, Sparite?"

Johana smiles. "Yeah," she says. "Actually, I met with him during his lunch break, so he had a can with him. I shook it up while he wasn't looking."

Kan laughs. "You know, people say you're an unfriendly jackass with absolutely no sense of humor, but you can be pretty clever when you want to," she says.

"Who says that about me?" Johana asks.

Kan ignores Johana and places her guitar in its case. "I'm putting up flyers for the concert tonight, can you help me?" she asks.

Johana nods her head and Kan does a little victory dance. She runs off to the library to print off fliers, Johana following closely behind.

Johana Joestar and Kan Nijimura met their first week of college. Both freshman new to the country, the duo bonded and quickly formed an ironclad friendship in spite of their different hobbies and temperaments. Kan is boisterous, energetic, and quick to make friends. She has bleach blonde hair cut into a mohawk that hangs down over half of her head. On this hot summer day, she wears black jeans, a gold belt, a t-shirt with an infinity sign and a diagram of the evolution of man printed on it, black heels, a pair of spike covered bracelets, and a denim jacket. The left arm of her jacket has been ripped off, showing a variety of rock band tattoos.

Johana, on the other hand, dresses plainly, wearing a tank top, skirt, tights, and boots, all black. Her dark blue hair is pulled into a bun and a pair of glasses sit on her nose. She's the quiet, studious girl who always sits in the corner of a room while Kan is the girl who yells out the answer before the teacher can even call her name.

As she chases after Kan, Johana flashes back to the night they met. She was walking home from class, late at night, when she saw a man in a ski mask following Kan, holding a knife in his hand. At first, she turned her head away and continued on her way, not wanting to get involved. Then she heard Kan scream.

She moved without thinking, dropping her books and running to save Kan. Johana jumped into action and kicked the man in the face. He dropped the knife and ran away while Johana tended to Kan.

Kan was fine, she'd screamed before the man could do anything. In fact, instead of being terrified like Johana had expected, Kan was starstruck. "You saved my life!" she said.

Johana blushed. "Well, I don't know about that," she mumbled.

"That was so cool! You came out of nowhere and beat the shit out of that guy! It was like something out of a kung fu movie."

From that day onward, the two were inseparable. They ate together, they studied together, they even started living together during their spring semester. Johana taught Kan self-defense and Kan introduced Johana to her favorite bands. For the first time since she ran away from home, Johana had a friend.

"I think tonight's show is going to be really good. We managed to borrow a small stage and some equipment from the music department, so it's going to be like a real show!" Kan says while she and Johana wait for the flyers to finish printing.

"Show's at eight thirty on the quad, right?" Johana asks.

Kan nods her head. For five months now, she has been the bass guitarist of a rock band she co-founded called Lifeless December. "Are you coming?" Kan asks.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Johana says.

They pay for the flyers, handing handfuls of change to a library employee with buck teeth who gives them a dirty look, and leave the library to go get lunch. As they walk through the college campus, they come across something rather odd.

A large white cocoon, as tall as Johana, sits by the doorway to one of the dormitories. "What's this?" Kan asks while reaching her hand out to touch the cocoon.

Johana slaps her hand away. "What?" Kan says.

"Don't touch it, it looks weird," Johana replies.

"Okay, I won't touch it. That doesn't answer my question though. What is this thing?"

"It's probably just a modern art exhibit or something. Best to leave it alone."

As the duo walk away, Johana glances over her shoulders at the cocoon and feels an aura of menace that chills her to her bones. She knows that, whatever the cocoon is, it is evil, and she wants nothing to do with it.

When she walks into the school cafeteria, she sees something incredibly bizarre. A young man with blonde hair balancing with one foot on the back of a chair and the other folded over his waist. The young man wears a tight black tank top that shows off his toned body, dark green pants covered in white stars, a striped scarf covered in hearts, and a black beanie covered in four-leaf clovers. In his left hand, he holds a green banana. He taps it with his right hand and the skin of the banana turns yellow. He peels the banana and takes a bite.

"What's that guy's deal?" Kan asks.

Johana doesn't say anything. She knows exactly what the guy's deal is. It's been years since the two saw each other last, but she'd recognize that dumbass smile anywhere. And, even if she couldn't, she'd still recognize the star-shaped birthmark on the man's left shoulder.

The man notices Johana and smiles. He does a backflip off the chair and walks over to Johana. "Cousin!" he says, arms spread for a hug.

Johana groans.


	2. Chapter 2: Viva La Vida, Part 1

**Nero Zeppeli's Viva La Vida, Part 1**

The man with the clover beanie hangs upside down from the ladder of Johana and Kan's bunk bed. Johana stands in front of him, arms crossed, with a scowl on her face. Kan sits off to the side in a desk chair with her hands in her lap.

Johana and the man have been staring at each other for ten minutes now, beginning when Johana drug the man away from the cafeteria by the ear. Neither has said a complete sentence to the other in this time. "As I was saying," the man in the beanie begins, "It's so good to-"

"No!" Johana shouts. "We aren't doing this. We aren't going to sit here and reminisce and talk about how happy we are to see each other. The only thing you're going to do is leave without another word and never come back."

"It's so good to see you again," the man in the beanie mutters.

"Without another word, Nero."

Kan chews at her fingernails, a nervous tick that's been with her since childhood. "So, um, would you mind telling me what's going on?" she says.

Johana doesn't respond. "You ran into this weird guy at the cafeteria, and he called you cousin, and tried to hug you, then you punched him in the stomach and brought him back here, and now you're telling him to leave?" Kan says. "I'm not criticizing, I just don't really know what's going on. Also, you both have that weird star thing on your shoulder, which is weird."

Johana places her hand on the star-shaped birthmark on her neck, a mark she shares with each member of her bloodline, and sighs. "His name is Nero Zeppeli," Johana says. "He's my cousin."

Nero jumps off the ladder and extends his hand for Kan to shake. "A pleasure to meet you, miss...?"

"Nijimura," Kan says.

"It is nice to see that Johana has a friend. Her grandfather will be happy to know that she isn't all alone at college. He worries, you know?"

"Is that why you're here?" Johana spits. "Because Grandpa Joe was worried about me?"

"Alas, that is not my reason that I have come here," Nero says, frowning. "I'm here on business."  
"What do you do?" Kan asks.

"He's a traveling salesman," Johana says.

"I work for a top-secret organization that researches supernatural phenomena," Nero says without a second thought.

"Wow, not even going to try to be subtle," Johana mutters.

"There are dark clouds hanging over London, Johana," Nero says.

"There are always dark clouds hanging over London. It rains every other day."

"Metaphorical dark clouds. There is an evil force in this city. I don't know what it is, but I know that something big is coming. You might be in danger. Let me protect you."

"I'm flattered by the offer, but I'm going to have to say no."

"What?" Kan and Nero say together.

Johana places her hands on Nero's shoulders and drags him out of the dorm room. "Listen, I'm sure you can handle whatever this evil force is," she says.

"JoJo, please," Nero begs.

"I don't want anything to do with you, or the Speedwagon Foundation, or Julius, or Holly, or Grandpa Joe, or any of the other bullshit you're tangled up in," Johana says. "Have a nice day, Nero. Just have it far away from me."

Johana slams the door shut. Kan stares at her. "So, secret organizations that research supernatural phenomena?" she says.

Johana forces a laugh and sits down on the bed. "My cousin's a bit insane," she says. "Best to ignore anything he says."

"Is it okay to just leave him alone like that?"

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. And even if he isn't fine, it's not really my problem."

"Isn't he your family?"

Johana sighs. "My family and I don't exactly get along," she says.

"Are they bad people?"

"No, they're great people. That's the problem."

Kan makes an _I don't understand face _and Johana rubs her temples. "Some bad stuff happened when I was a kid and I ran away from home," Johana says. "That's all you need to know."

"Okay. I understand," Kan says.

Johana sits there for a moment, tapping her foot on the ground. "You still want to know what Nero was talking about, don't you?" Kan says.

"No. It's just, last time I saw him, Nero promised he wouldn't bother me ever again. He's kept that promise for three years."

"Which means that this thing that has him worried is probably really serious."

"Yeah. Nero's a moron, but he wouldn't go back on his word if it wasn't serious."

"Go talk to him! Besides, stopping an evil force from destroying London sounds a little bit more important than hanging some flyers."

"I'm sure Nero was exaggerating. And even if he wasn't, it's more complicated than that. I barely managed to get out of this life. I don't want to jump back in."

"I mean, if something big is coming, you'll probably get drug in whether you want to or not. You'll at least have your cool secret agent cousin with you if you help him stop it in advance."

Johana sighs. "I'll see you at the concert tonight," she says while walking to the door.

When she opens the door, she finds Nero on his knees, begging. "You get one hour to convince me you need my help," Johana says.

Nero leaps to his feet. "I shall not let you down, JoJo!" he says while putting an arm around Johana's shoulder.

The two walk out of Johana's dorm together. "So, have you kept up with your Hamon training?" Nero asks.

"Are you planning to get into any fights?" Johana retorts.

"No, but they often happen in our line of business."

"First off, your line of business. Secondly, would you mind telling me what exactly you need my help with?"

Nero pulls out a stack of Rorschach inkblot tests. He holds one up for Johana. "What do you see?"

"An inkblot test."

"I know, but what does it look like?"

"I don't know, and elephant maybe?"

Nero flips the picture over and frowns. "Sorry, wrong photo," he says.

Johana sighs. "Why are you showing me an inkblot test?"

"My mother's stand allows her to predict impending doom in the form inkblots," Nero says while flipping through the pictures. "They can be hard to decipher, but everything in the inkblots she creates comes true."

"You bothered me over some inkblot tests?"

Nero pulls out another inkblot, this one showing a series of interconnected lines. "What do you see?" he asks.

"A bunch of random lines," she says.

Johana leans in to get a closer look. "Wait, is that a map of the London Underground?" she asks.

Nero nods his head. "There's more," he says. "Inkblots showing various landmarks around London, and one unnerving inkblot that is the reason for my visit."

He holds up another inkblot, one resembling the face of a woman. Johana looks closely at the image. The woman looks so familiar, but Johana can't quite place her. Then she notices a star-shaped smudge of ink by the woman's neck. "It's me," she mutters.

"I wouldn't have bothered you if it wasn't vital," Nero says.

"So Holly predicted impending doom in my future. Awesome," Johana says flatly.

"It isn't as bad as it seems," Nero says. "If the inkblot had shown you with a slit throat, or a bullet hole in the center of your forehead, you'd be destined to die. This picture only shows you frowning. Something is coming, yes, but we may be able to mitigate its danger."

"Do you have any idea what this doom is, or how we can stop it?"

"I have an idea."

Nero pulls out a final inkblot. "What does this look like to you?" he asks.

"I don't know, a skull?" Johana says.

Nero looks at it again. "You know, it does kinda look like a skull," he says. "Personally, I think it looks like a cocoon."

"A cocoon?" Johana repeats, thinking back to the odd sculpture by the dormitories.

"I looked online for any supernatural stuff going on in London involving cocoons, and you know what I found out? A bunch of giant cocoons have been popping up all over this college campus in the past few weeks."

"I know where one is."

Johana leads Nero to the large cocoon outside of the dorm building. "Interesting, very interesting," Nero says while poking the cocoon with a pen. "This silk, it isn't like anything I've ever seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"It's strong and thin, like normal silk, but nearly invisible. If it wasn't wrapped so tightly I don't think we'd be able to see it."

"Isn't silk normally strong and thin?"

"Not to this extent. Plus, normal silk doesn't give off this much heat."

Johana places her hand on the cocoon, before rapidly pulling it back. She grimaces at the new burn on the palm. "Okay, that's weird," she says.

"Stand back," Nero says.

A pair of barely visible arms appear in front of Nero and strike the cocoon, hitting it dozens of times in the span of a few seconds before disappearing. The silk cocoon rots away, leaving a gaping hole in its side. A skull rolls out from this hole and lands on the ground in front of Johana.

Johana covers her mouth to keep from vomiting. "That's a human skull," she mutters.

"More than just a skull, I'm afraid," Nero says while peering into the cocoon.

Johana glances inside the cocoon and sees a rotting corpse missing its head. "Did you do this?" she asks.

"Did I do what?"

"This! You rotted away the cocoon, did you accidentally rot away this body?"

"My powers don't work on people. She was like this when we got here."

"Wait, she?"

"Her clothes haven't fully rotted away yet. Judging by her fashion and height, I'd guess that this body belongs to a woman in her twenties, presumably a student at this university."

Nero notices a lanyard hanging from the corpse's neck and grabs it. "It's a student worker id for the library," Nero says. "Does the name Louise Ciccone ring any bells?"

Johana snatches the id from Nero's hands. She stares at the picture on the front, a picture of a pretty young woman with brown curls. "I recognize this woman," Johana says. "She went missing a few days ago."

"A few days ago?" Nero asks. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why?"

Nero looks inside the cocoon again and scratches his chin. "Bodies don't decay that fast," he says. "Nearly all of the fat and muscle has faded away, leaving only bones. That doesn't happen overnight."

"What does this mean?" Johana asks.

"It means that we're dealing with a stand user."

Johana sighs. She'd hoped to never hear those two words ever again. "Are you sure?" she asks.

Nero nods his head. "We have a stand user to stop," he says.

The arms reappear on Nero's shoulders and grab the cocoon, ripping it out of the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" Johana shouts.

Then she notices it, a series of silk cables leading out of the bottom of the cocoon and going underground. "These cocoons, they burn the energy in people's flesh and drag it somewhere belowground," Nero says. "Are there any buildings nearby that have a basement?"

"I think the library has a basement," Johana says. "People don't use it very much though."

"Perfect!" Nero shouts before running off in search of the library.

"Are you just going to leave the body?" Johana yells back.

"Someone else will figure out what to do with it!"

After Johana shows him where the library is, Nero sprints down the stairs to the basement, leaping over three steps at a time. The library basement isn't the evil lair Nero hoped it would be. Instead of the large room filled with death traps and fire, he finds a cramped basement filled with shelves containing textbooks, lit by flickering fluorescent lights. The basement is empty, its ceilings covered in cobwebs and its floor covered in dust.

"Looks like nobody's been down here in years," Johana says.

Nero bends down and looks at the floor of the basement. "I'm not so sure," he says. "It's faint, but there are footprints in the dust."

Johana leans down and notices the faint footprints. Specifically, she notices two sets of footprints leading to a door on the other end of the basement and a single set leading back. "There's somebody behind that door," Johana says.

Nero slowly walks towards the door. Johana follows close behind. Around halfway to the door, Johana grabs Nero by the shoulder and stops him. "What?" he asks.

Johana points at a pair of bookshelves sitting in Nero's path. Nero narrows his eyes and notices the giant web sitting between them, made of the same silk as the cocoon. One flurry of punches later, the web and the bookshelves it was attached to are gone. "We're definitely in the right place," Nero says.

The door sitting at the end of the basement is a heavy iron door, locked with a padlock. A sign sitting near it proclaims that it is used for the storage of old newspapers. Nero places his hand on the padlock. It rusts and falls off the door. Slowly, Nero pushes open the storage room door.

Five cocoons sit on the other side.

TO BE CONTINUED IN

Chapter 3: Nero Zeppeli's Viva La Vida, Part 2


	3. Chapter 3: Viva La Vida, Part 2

A few strikes from Nero is all it takes to open up the first of the cocoons. The silk rots away, revealing the body that lies within. "Another skeleton," Nero says.

"Why are there so many cocoons in one place?" Johana asks.

Nero pulls out his phone to shine a light on the skeleton. "This body is more decayed than the one we found by the dorms. There's even less flesh left, meaning this one is probably older," he says while scratching his chin. "If I were to guess, the Stand User we're looking for started out by luring people to this basement. Now that they've gotten more confident, they've started attacking people aboveground."

Nero strikes two more of the cocoons, releasing the corpses found within. "How many people do you think they've killed?" Johana mutters.

"The articles that I read said eight cocoons appeared around this campus. Including the five down here, that is a minimum of thirteen victims," Nero says. "Probably more, because it is likely some of our killer's victims have not been discovered yet.

Johana takes a step into the shadowy storage room. Nero waves his arms, telling her to stop. "What?" she asks.

Nero points the light down at the floor, revealing a tangled mess of silk string spread around the floor of the storage room. "Watch your step," Nero says. "I do not know what will happen if you touch those strings, but it most likely will not be good."

Johana pulls out her phone flashlight and carefully moves around the room, searching for clues among the large cocoons and silk covered tables. "This room isn't big enough for someone to hide," Johana says. "But we seem to be the only people in here."

"Hold on, could you be quiet for a moment?" Nero says.

The two stand in silence for a moment. Nero tilts his head at one of the cocoons and listens. "I hear breathing coming from within that cocoon," Nero whispers.

Nero tiptoes towards the cocoon. The arms appear at his side, ready to strike. "Two people came into this room earlier and only one left," Nero whispers. "The one that didn't leave, they're hiding within this cocoon."

The arms strike the cocoon, rotting it away. Nero grabs the individual within by the throat and lifts them into the air. The arms pull back to prepare for another punch. "Wait!" Johana shouts.

The fists stop centimeters away from the mysterious person's face. The face of an unconscious man with horn-rimmed glasses, a man Johana has the displeasure of knowing. "I don't think he's our killer," Johana says. "He's unconscious. Plus, I know this asshole. He's one of my teachers, an asshole named Dre."

Nero sets Dr. Dre down on the table. "So the killer isn't with us," Nero says. "That is good."

Johana places her finger on Dr. Dre's throat. "He's alive, if only barely," she says.

"The killer must have tied him up right before we got here," Nero says.

Johana slaps Dr. Dre awake. "What's going on?" he mumbles.

"Someone tied you up in the library basement. Do you remember who?" Johana asks.

Dr. Dre doesn't respond. A few moments later he starts snoring. Johana sighs and shakes him awake. "Who did this to you?" she asks.

"I feel so tired," Dr. Dre mumbles before falling back asleep.

Johana groans. "He won't stay awake," she says.

"Perhaps he is still under the effect of the Stand that knocked him out and tied him up," Nero says.

Nero glances back at Dr. Dre's cocoon. "What do we have here?" he mumbles.

Behind the now rotted cocoon Nero spots a cork board covered in pinned photographs, some of which have been covered in Xs. Nero and Johana both walk over to get a closer look. "That's a photo of Dr. Dre, and that's a photo of Louise Ciccone," Johana says. "This cork board, it's a list of victims."

Then Johana notices it, a circled picture of Kan in the bottom corner of the board. "Shit," she says.

The heavy door of the storage room slams shut. The thud echoes through the storage room, causing Johana to jump and almost stumble into the tangled web of silk on the floor. "I think the killer has returned," Nero whispers as he turns his head.

"Calm down, the door probably just shut on its own."

"No, I don't think so."

Nero slowly points his finger at a pair of cocoons sitting by the door. "There were five cocoons when we came in. I destroyed four. And there are two sitting by that door," Nero says. "I think that the individual that closed that door is hiding in one of those cocoons."

"Do you know which one has been here from the start?"

Nero shakes his head. Slowly, he walks towards one of the cocoons. He strikes it open, revealing a skeleton sitting within. A gigantic spider leaps out from within the cocoon and attaches itself to Nero's chest.

The arms appear once more and rip the spider off, slamming it against the wall of the storage room. Nero charges at the final cocoon and unleashes a flurry of punches, destroying it. Only, the killer isn't sitting within the mysterious new cocoon. In fact, the new cocoon is completely empty.

"I don't understand," Johana says.

Then she notices it, a trickle of blood coming from the ceiling of the storage room. She shines her light on the ceiling and discovers a grisly sight. A man in a white mask and black hoodie holding onto the ceiling using silk.

"Look out!" Johana shouts.

She's too late. The man in the mask swings down and kicks Nero in the head, knocking him out. The red and blue spider crawls onto Nero and imprisons him in one of the cocoons.

The masked man turns his head towards Johana. "Pretty neat plan, wasn't it?" he says with a scratchy voice.

Johana doesn't respond. "Creating a fake cocoon to trick your friend while hiding on the ceiling, the type of plan you'd expect from a genius like me," the masked man continues. "Good thing I came up with it. That man with the beanie seemed pretty strong. He's the first person to ever land a hit on my pet."

"Who are you?"

The masked man laughs. The spider, now done tying up Nero, crawls onto the man's shoulder. "Who am I?" the man asks. "I'm the bad guy."

The man walks over to the table Dr. Dre lies on and draws a knife from his pocket. He plunges the knife into Dr. Dre's throat, creating a geyser of blood. Johana rushes towards the table and kicks it, sending it flying at the masked man.

The masked man hurdles over the table and flings the blood from the knife at Johana's eyes, blinding her. Johana jumps back and raises her arms to protect herself. The spider runs around Johana's legs in a circle, ensnaring them in its string. The masked man kicks Johana in the stomach and she falls onto the silk covered floor.

After only a few seconds on her back, Johana feels tired. Very tired. She tries to crawl to her feet so she can continue the fight, but her legs don't work. Johana slips from consciousness.

Nero Zeppeli is having a wonderful nap when he hears a muffled ringing. He tries ignoring it so he can continue his nap, but the stupid noise just won't go away. Nero sighs and opens his eyes to darkness. He tries stretching his arms, only to discover he can't move them. He shrugs this off and falls back asleep. Then the ringing comes back.

Nero ignores the ringing once more. But, instead of going away, the ringing is replaced by a new noise, a robotic voice telling Nero to leave a message after the beep. A few seconds after the beep, Nero hears Kan Nijimura's voice.

"Hey Johana, I know you're off doing cool secret agents stuff with your weird cousin, but I was wondering when you were going to show up," Kan says. "The concert starts in ten minutes and I'm really nervous right now. I could use some moral support, you know?"

When he hears Johana's name, Nero's eyes snap open. In an instant, he breaks out of the cocoon. He walks over to the source of the noise, Johana's cell phone, and uses it as a flashlight.

Nero scans the room, taking in what happened after he was knocked out. He sees the overturned tables, the pool of blood, and the body of Dr. Dre. Finally, he notices a new cocoon on the other side of the room.

Nero runs over to the new cocoon and destroys it. He picks up Johana's unconscious body and leaves the storage room. As Nero walks through the library basement, Johana's eyes slowly open. "What's going on?" she asks.

"The Stand User knocked us and tied us up in those cocoons. I assume he planned to slowly drain all of the energy from our bodies, leaving us as lifeless husks like the ones we found down there," Nero says. "Fortunately, your friend called you about some concert and the ringing of your phone woke you up."

"Oh god, Kan!"

Johana shoves her way out of Nero's arms and dashes up the stairs and into the library, earning her scowls from a few librarians. "Don't worry, JoJo, you have plenty of time to make it to this concert," Nero shouts as he chases after her, earning him even more scowls.

"This isn't about some concert!" Johana shouts as she burst out of the library. "A picture of Kan was on that guy's creepy victim collage. I think she's next on the list!"

The two run across campus, making their way the quad where the concert is held. In the distance, the see a stage with spotlights hanging from rafters. A decent sized crowd has gathered on the other side of the stage to listen to the show.

Johana hears the roar of a guitar and smiles. "Kan's alright," she says as she stops moving.

Suddenly, the man in the white mask swings down from on top of a building and kicks Johana in the stomach, knocking her back into Nero. "I'm surprised to see you here," the man in the white mask says as the duo pull themselves to their feet. "No one has ever managed to escape from one of my traps. I suppose I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Seriously, who are you?" Johana asks.

The masked man laughs. "I suppose I should reveal my identity to you, my mortal enemy, now," he says. "After all, we are in the endgame."

The man pulls off his mask, revealing the face of a young college student with buck teeth. "The truth has been revealed," he says. "Bask in horror at this stunning revelation."

Johana and Nero give each other a look of confusion before turning back to the masked man. "That doesn't really answer the question," Johana says.

"Don't tell me you don't recognize me!"

"Sorry, I'm drawing a blank here. Have we met?"

"We had three classes together last semester!"

"It's a big school."

"We live in the same building!"

"What type of weirdo knows their neighbors?"

"We talked to each other like, five hours ago!"

Johana furrows her brow. "Wait, I recognize you now. You're that guy who works at the library, right?" she says.

"I have a name," the masked man mutters.

"Hold on, give me a minute."

Johana turns to Nero for help. He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know his name," he says.

The masked man starts pulling his hair. "This was going to be this big moment where I reveal my identity, and you don't even know my name," he says.

"I wanna say, Stanley?" Johana says.

"My name is not Stanley!" the man who is not named Stanley shouts.

"Wait! I remember now. It's Rabbit Jimmy, right?"

"My name is James goddamnit!" Rabbit Jimmy shouts. "Not Rabbit, not Jimmy, and certainly not Rabbit Jimmy. That's a just a stupid nickname people gave me after you punched half of my teeth out."

Nero gasps and Johana shoots him an angry look. "Okay, first of all, don't be mad at me for beating up the bad guy," she says. "Secondly, I don't even remember punching you."

Rabbit Jimmy sighs. "Of course you don't," he says. "No one ever remembers James. No one ever wants to be friends with James, or hang out with James. Everyone is always mean to James. At least, they were."

"My days of being treated like garbage are over," Rabbit Jimmy says. "The girls who rejected me, the teachers who made me cry, the mean neighbors who punched my teeth out, all shall fear the man in the white mask! The shall grovel before me and beg for mercy. And I shall deny them their lives just as they have denied me respect!"

"Wow, there's a lot to unpack here, but I think it'd be better if we just threw the whole suitcase away," Johana says.

The red and blue spider emerges from underground and crawls onto Rabbit Jimmy's shoulder. "You see, my dear archenemy, I was recently bestowed a unique, godlike power that allows me to defeat any adversary. This ability allows me to create a powerful being that follows my every will. You can't see it, but right now my godlike pet, which I have elected to call Wrap God, is sitting on my shoulder."

"You mean that spider?" Johana asks.

"Yes, this spider," Rabbit Jimmy says.

Rabbit Jimmy does a double take. "No, that can't be right," he says. "No one but I can see Wrap God!"

Nero starts laughing. "What's so funny!" Rabbit Jimmy screams.

"You are in so over your head that you do not even realize that you are in over your head," Nero says. "That spider is what we call a Stand."

"A Stand?"

"Stands are physical embodiments of an individuals fighting spirit. They are rare, yes, but I have seen them many times before."

"But, none of my victims could see Wrap God!" Rabbit Jimmy whines. "What makes you so special?"

"Stands can only be seen by other Stand Users, James," Nero says. "And I possess a Stand."

Nero knocks his fists together and energy pours out of his back, melding together and transforming into a humanoid shape. A bulky man made of salt crystals appears behind Nero. "This, James, is my Stand, Viva La Vida!"

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 4: Nero Zeppeli's Viva La Vida, Part 3

**STAND ****STATS**

Name: Wrap God

Dub Name: Silk God

User: Rabbit Jimmy

Namesake: "Rap God" (Eminem Song)

Appearance: Takes the form of a large red and blue spider, about the size of a frying pan. Has drills on the ends of its legs that it uses to dig through the earth.

Abilities: Has the ability to create thin durable silk. When this silk is in contact with human beings for more than three seconds, two things happen. First, the silk causes the individual touching it to become extremely sleepy, eventually knocking them out. Secondly, energy is drawn out of the affected individual across the string, beginning with body heat and eventually moving on to energy stored within cells, causing them to rot and decay at an extreme rate. Rabbit Jimmy is immune to both of these effects. Rabbit Jimmy can absorb this energy by touching his strings and use it to increase his strength, speed, and healing. Rabbit Jimmy knows how to create large cocoons, tangled webs, and snare traps using Wrap God's string, allowing him to more easily ensnare targets.

Stats: Power-D, Speed-C, Range-B, Durability-D, Precision-B, Potential-B


	4. Chapter 4: Viva La Vida, Part 3

Light from the setting sun shines on Viva La Vida's crown. The Stand's tattered red cape waves back in forth in the breeze as it stands behind Nero, ready to fight. "My Viva La Vida has a single, deadly ability. Anything its fists strike decays, including your webs."

"This can't be happening," Rabbit Jimmy mutters. "My abilities are supposed to be unique. I can't believe you have the same type of abilities as me."

"What's more, Johana over here also has a Stand," Nero says.

"I don't have a Stand," Johana says.

Nero raises his eyebrows. "You don't?" he says.

"No. When have I ever said that I did?"

"I just assumed. I mean, everyone in our family has Stands!"

"I'm not part of _our family_ anymore."

"You can see Viva La Vida though, right? And Jimmy's weird spider Stand, you pointed it out earlier."

Johana sighs. "I don't know what to tell you," she says. "I have the potential to unlock one, I suppose, but I've never had the need nor the desire to try and summon one."

Nero places his arm in front of Johana. "In that case, let me handle this," he says. "Stand battles can be dangerous for regular people."

Nero and Johana turn back to Rabbit Jimmy and notice that Wrap God has left his shoulder. "The spider's gone," Johana whispers.

"I noticed. Fortunately, I can get rid of it if I knock its user out," Nero says.

Nero charges at Rabbit Jimmy. Viva La Vida bursts out from behind Nero and strikes Jimmy in the stomach, knocking him on his ass. Wrap God crawls out of the ground holding a cord made of silk in its teeth. Rabbit Jimmy grabs the cord and leaps to his feet.

Jimmy turns his head to the side and dodges a punch from Viva La Vida. Jimmy uppercuts the Stand. His fist, instead of doing any damage, simply bounces off. Viva La Vida kicks Jimmy, knocking him away.

"Word from the wise, James. Stands can only be hurt by other Stands," Nero says.

"Good to know," Jimmy snaps.

The spider crawls out of the ground once more, bringing Rabbit Jimmy a new silk cable. Jimmy grabs the cable and smiles. His muscles grow as he stands back up. "What's the deal with the cables?" Nero asks.

"Wrap God's strings bring me energy to increase my strength and healing," Jimmy says. "Earlier, while Johana was trying to remember my name, I had him tie up some new victims for me to drain."

Nero frowns and Viva La Vida punches the ground a few times, trying to find where the cables are located. Rabbit Jimmy laughs. "Good luck finding my cables," he says. "They're buried far too deep for you to dig them up while fighting me."

Wrap God climbs down onto Jimmy's hand and attaches a long string to his fist. Jimmy spins his Stand around his head like a ball and chain. He approaches Nero in an attempt to strike Nero with his Stand.

Viva La Vida crouches down and punches the wire connecting Jimmy and Wrap God, severing it and sending Wrap God flying away from its user. As it flies through the air, Wrap God spits a glob of silk at Nero, hitting him in the back of the head.

Nero closes his eyes and yawns. "Nero, you have to rip the silk of!" Johana shouts.

Nero's eyes shoot open. In an instant, rips Viva La Vida off the silk. "That was close," Johana says.

"I don't understand, I just felt really sleepy all of a sudden," Nero says.

"It's that silk, it sedates people so the spider can tie them up. Remember when we were in the basement? We both fell asleep when the silk touched us."

Nero turns back to Rabbit Jimmy. "I guess I'll have to keep my guard up then," he says.

Wrap God crawls around the battlefield in a circle, covering the grass in string. "That's the beauty of my Wrap God," Jimmy says as Wrap God finishes the web and burrows underground. "When I create webs like this, all I need to do is knock you over once and I win."

Nero charges at Jimmy, being careful to avoid stepping on the web. Viva La Vida launches forward to strike Jimmy. Wrap God climbs out from underground once more, bringing with it the silk cable. Rabbit Jimmy grabs the cord and the Stand. He punches Viva La Vida using Wrap God as a brass knuckle.

The blow knocks Nero over onto the string covered grass. At first, Nero tries to strike the grass with his Stand. But, before long, he falls asleep. Wrap God crawls over and ties its latest victim up in a white cocoon.

"Nero!" Johana shouts.

"One down," Rabbit Jimmy says while putting his mask back on. "Now for you, Johana."

"Let Nero go before I break your neck," Johana says.

Rabbit Jimmy laughs. "What are you going to do?" he asks. "Even if you could defeat my Stand, which you can't, the energy Wrap God brought me makes me strong enough to win any battle."

"You're a monster."

"You don't even know the start of it, dear archenemy. Where do you think I'm getting this energy from?"

At that moment, Johana realizes that she hasn't heard the concert since the fight began. "No," she whispers.

"That's right! I ensnared an entire concert full of people, including your friend Kan Nijimura, to increase my strength."

Johana closes her eyes. "I'm going to start beating the shit out of you, and I don't know when I'm going to stop," she says.

Johana takes a deep breath. Energy from her lungs spreads through her body, filling her muscles with strength. Power ripples through her fists as she charges at Jimmy. "Wait a minute, something's different!" Jimmy shouts. "You've changed!"

Johana punches Jimmy in the stomach. "It's called Hamon," she whispers. "It works kind of like your string energy, allowing me to punch harder and heal injuries."

Johana kicks Rabbit Jimmy in the stomach, knocking him away. Wrap God climbs up Jimmy's leg. He swings his Stand around by a string once more, releasing it and throwing it at Johana.

Johana ducks to avoid being hit in the head by Wrap God. She grabs the string hanging from the Stand and uses it to fling the Stand dozens of meters away. Johana approaches Jimmy as he draws his knife.

Jimmy lunges at Johana, knife aimed for her throat. Johana grabs his wrist and squeezes, forcing Jimmy to drop the knife. Johana kicks the knife as it falls, sending it flying into Jimmy's throat.

"Right now, that knife is lodged in an artery. If you pull it out or even move to quickly, it'll fall out and you'll bleed to death. If you let Nero, Kan, and the rest of your victims go, I'll heal your wounds and let you live."

Jimmy rips the knife out, swinging it at Johana's throat. Johana sighs and kicks the knife out of his hand. "What did that accomplish?" she says as he grabs Jimmy by the throat.

"A distraction," he whispers.

Johana turns around just in time to see Wrap God shoot a pile of string at her face, hitting her in the glasses. Johana rips the glasses off, throwing them away before they knock her out.

She turns back to Jimmy as he grabs the silk cord leading to the concert cocoons. He absorbs the energy and the hole in his throat closes up. "I don't need your mercy, dear archenemy," he says. "Any injury you give me I can heal from."

Wrap God fires a glob of web at Johana. She jumps to the side to dodge it as Jimmy charges at her with the knife. She pulls her arm back and it rockets forward, dislocating itself from her shoulder and striking Jimmy in the nose.

Jimmy smiles. "You've fallen for my trip, dear archenemy!" he shouts. "My mask is made of Wrap God's silk! By punching me in the face, you've exposed yourself to my sedative silk! Soon, you'll-"

Johana's fist engulfs in flames, setting Jimmy's mask on fire. Jimmy screams and rips the mask off. "What the shit?" he screams.

"Scarlet Overdrive," Johana says as she ignites her other fist. "It's a Hamon technique that allows me to set myself on fire. I wasn't going to use it because of the damage to my body, but then you reminded me that I can heal."

Johana unleashes a rush of punches on Jimmy, beating him to a pulp and knocking him out of the web. Wrap God lunges at Johana and she grabs Jimmy by the shoulder, using him to block his own Stand. Jimmy wrestles himself free and slaps Johana, knocking her away.

Jimmy and Johana both fall to their knees. The fires on Johana's arms and Rabbit Jimmy's clothes peter out. Johana looks at her burn covered arms, one dislocated. Jimmy looks at his burn covered body, filled with broken bones. Wrap God brings Jimmy the cable, Johana takes a deep breath, and both fighters begin to heal. "We're almost evenly matched," Rabbit Jimmy says. "We can both heal any damage the other deals. The difference is, if I can knock you on that web, I win. This fight can go on for hours, but inevitably, I'll win."

"You're right that one of us has a slight advantage, but you're wrong about which one," Johana says. "That web you made? Take a closer look."

Rabbit Jimmy looks at the web and gasps. Fire, lit by the sparks falling from Johana's arms, has engulfed the web. "I never intended to defeat you using my fire," Johana says. "The true reason I set my fists ablaze was to destroy your net."

"That's okay, I can just make another-"

"You don't realize, do you? If the web is burning, so is the cocoon connected to it. Nero's free."

The cable in Jimmy's hand whithers away and turns to dust. "Nero's started freeing the people you wrapped up in cocoons," Johana says. "You know what that means, don't you? Your strength is gone!"

Rabbit Jimmy runs away from Johana, making his way towards the stage. "If I can't kill you, I can at least kill your friend!" Jimmy shouts.

Kan and her band lie unconscious in the center of the stage. Nero stands in front of them, arms crossed, Viva La Vida at his side. "It's over, Jimmy," Nero says.

"My name is James!" Jimmy shouts.

He throws Wrap God at Nero. Viva La Vida punches Wrap God, sending it and Jimmy flying back into one of the support beams for the rafters. "This can't be happening," Rabbit Jimmy yells.

Viva La Vida flies forward and punches Rabbit Jimmy through the chest. "I'm supposed to be invincible," Rabbit Jimmy says as he dies.

_Rabbit Jimmy - Age 20 - Deceased_

Johana climbs up onto the stage. "Did you take out Jimmy?" she asks.

"He won't be a problem for anyone else going forward," Nero says while gesturing to Jimmy's corpse.

Johana gags. "Thank you for assisting me in defeating him, JoJo," Nero says. "Your friend and the people at this concert are unconscious, but they will live because of your help."

"How are we going to explain all of these people falling unconscious? And what about the bodies?"

"Don't worry about that. The Speedwagon Foundation specializes in this kind of thing," Nero says. "Speaking of the Foundation, they could use someone like you. You did an excellent job defeating the enemy Stand user."

Johana glances at Jimmy's body and sighs. "I hate fighting, Nero, and I hate watching people die," she says.

"I understand. After I clean this mess up, I'll let you enjoy the rest of your life far away from me."

Suddenly, Johana hears a creaking noise coming from the rafters. "Oh no," Nero says.

"What?"

"I may have, completely by accident, of course, decayed the support pillar for the rafters when I killed Rabbit James."

The metal rafters begin to collapse. "Kan!" Johana shouts as she runs for her friend.

As the rafters fall onto the unconscious band, Johana reaches for Kan. As she reaches for Kan a blue arm appears in front of her and strikes the metal rafters. The rafters fly off the stage and twist together into a large ball.

"That's new," Johana says.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 5: Coldplay, Part 1

**STAND ****STATS**

Name: Viva La Vida

Dub Name: Long Live Life

User: Nero Zeppeli

Namesake: "Viva La Vida" (Coldplay Song)

Appearance: Takes the form of a large, muscular man made out of salt crystals. Lacks a mouth, a nose, ears. Has yellow eyes without pupils. Wears a rusty metal belt with a "V" shaped buckle, a rusty crown, and a tattered red cape. Has the letter "V" printed on the backs of each of its fists.

Abilities: Viva La Vida has the ability to "decay" or age objects by punching them. Using this ability, Nero can rust metal, rot wood, melt ice, and turn stone into sand. This ability doesn't work on living beings.

Stats: Power-A, Speed-B, Range-D, Durability-B, Precision-D, Potential-D


	5. Chapter 5: Coldplay, Part 1

**Chapter 5: Coldplay, Part 1**

A doctor wheels Kan into a hospital room split in two by a blue curtain. "I'd like to keep you overnight for observation," the doctor says.

Kan sighs. "I'm fine, just tired and hungry," she says.

"Fainting spells like this can be a sign of something extremely serious. We'll run some tests in the morning. For now, we'll just put you on an IV drip to help with the dehydration."

The doctor leaves after jabbing the IV into Kan's arm. As Kan leans back in her hospital bed and tries to relax, she hears a man groan. She pulls back the curtain in the center of the room to discover the source of the groan: a young man lying in a hospital bed, with one arm covered by a cast and the other held in a sling. Bandages cover the young man's left shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Kan asks.

"Not really," the man replies. "Have you ever had one of those weeks that is just terrible?"

"Not really, no."

"Well, I just had the worst week of my life. First my dog ran away, then my girlfriend left me, then my car broke down, then I got hit by a bus while biking to work-"

"Is that why you're in the hospital?"

"No, that's why I was in the hospital on Tuesday. This is the second time I've been to the hospital this week!"

"Wow, that sucks."

"You don't know the half of it! After that bus broke my arm, some asshole shot me in the shoulder and messed up my other arm! And then, when I ended up in the hospital, they wouldn't even give me my own room!"

"Wait, someone shot you? Like, with a gun?"

"That's the strange part. They shot me with a bow and arrow."

Kan sits up in her bed and stares at the man. "A bow and arrow?" she asks.

"I know, it's strange," the young man says. "I was out tagging"

"Tagging?"

"I graffiti old buildings for a hobby. I was painting this wall in an alleyway when this dude in a red suit shot a goddam arrow at me. Who does that?"

"I don't know. Maybe they own the alleyway?"

"I guess. Still, it's a really weird thing to do."

The man extends his hand for Kan. "I'm Mylo, by the way," he says.

"Kan," she says as she shakes his hand.

"So, Kan, what's wrong with you, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kan sighs. "Hell if I know," she says. "I was performing at a concert when fell unconscious. The doctor said he wanted to do some brain scans to make sure I'm alright."

"Sounds serious."

"Yeah, but the weird thing is the fact that I wasn't the only one who passed out. Everyone at that concert fell unconscious at the same time."

"Was there a gas leak or something?"

"Hell if I know."

Mylo shivers. "Are you cold?" he asks. "Because I've been cold all day. I've been asking the nurses to bring me blankets for hours and they still haven't brought me any."

Kan tosses her blanket to Mylo. "Take it, I'm not that cold," she says. "What I need is some food."

Kan hears a knock on the hospital room door. "Come in," she says.

Johana pokes her head through the doorway. "Hey Kan, mind if I pop in for a moment?" she asks.

Kan nods her head and Johana walks in. She pulls the curtains. "Okay, that's fine I guess," Mylo says.

Johana sits down on the foot of Kan's bed. "How do you feel?" she asks.

"Really tired and hungry, for some reason," Kan says.

"You'll love this then," Johana says as she pulls out a bag of food from behind her back.

"Is that from Jonathan's?" Kan asks.

"Did I get you food from your favorite restaurant? Of course I did."

Kan rips open the bag and pulls out a bowl of noodles. She scarfs the noodles down in a few seconds, without even touching her utensils. "Is it good?" Johana asks.

"It's a bit cold, but it's still really good."

"It's cold?" Johana says while raising her eyebrows.

"Don't worry, it's still good."

"I know, it's just really weird that it's cold. I bought it twenty minutes ago."

Kan looks in the bag to see if there's any more food. She spots a glass bottle of soda and pops the top. She chugs the bottle down. But, half of the soda stays at the bottom of the bottle, no matter how much Kan tips it. Confused, Kan tries to set the bottle down. For some reason, she can't pull it away from her lips.

"Mmmm?" Kan says.

"What's wrong?"

"Mm mmmm mmm mmmmm!"

Kan moves her hands away from the bottle and it still stays in her mouth. "Your lips are stuck?" Johana asks.

Kan nods. The bottle shakes up and down with her head.

"Okay, calm down. How did they get stuck?"

"M mmmm mmmm! Mmmm mmmm mm mmm!"

Johana places her hands on the bottle. "Now, this is probably going to hurt, but I'm going to rip the bottle out," she says.

"Mmmm, mmmm mm mmmmm-"

Johana yanks the bottle out of Kan's mouth. "Jesus fucking Christ, can you give me a warning next time?" Kan yells.

"Sorry," Johana mutters.

"God, I think you yanked my lips off," Kan says as she wipes away the blood.

Johana glances at the mouth of the bottle. Some skin and blood from Kan's lips are frozen to the bottle. "What the hell?" Kan asks.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Johana says. "Where did the ice come from?"

"What? I was talking about your arms. What happened to you?"

Johana glances at her arms, still covered in burns from her fight with Rabbit Jimmy. "It's nothing," she says.

"You need to talk to a doctor, or get some bandages, or something!"

"I don't have any bandages," Johana says.

"There are some by my bed," Mylo says from behind the curtain.

Johana pulls the curtain back. "Were you listening to us?" she asks.

"I mean, not intentionally," Mylo says. "You guys were really loud and I couldn't help but overhear."

Johana sighs and grabs a roll of bandages off the table beside Mylo. She begins wrapping her arms. "So, Kan got her lips frozen to a bottle?" Mylo asks.

"Yeah. Isn't it weird?" Kan says.

"Where'd you get that bottle from, the north pole?" Mylo quips.

"I grabbed it out of a cooler barely colder than room temperature," Johana snaps.

"It probably just cooled down because you left it in the bag for too long. After all, the same thing happened to the noodles," Kan says.

"That isn't how heat works," Johana says. "Temperature averages out over time. The cold soda should have gotten warmer as the warm noodles got colder. Instead, the soda became so cold it froze without being exposed to anything cold."

"Maybe it froze because you brought it into this shitty hospital room," Mylo says.

As Johana finishes wrapping her arms, she hears a knock on the door. She opens it to find Nero holding a bouquet of flowers. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I finished up cleaning up the mess at the school," he says. "Plus, I wanted to check in on your friend and make sure she was alright. How is she, by the way?"

"She's tired and hungry.

"Makes sense. That Stand drained all of her energy while it had her tied up."

"Both of us were tied up, why aren't we exhausted."

"Our Hamon abilities give us more energy to lose."

Johana pulls the door shut and looks Nero dead in the eyes. "Can we talk real quick?" she whispers.

"Sure. Why are we whispering?" Nero whispers.

"What the hell were you thinking, destroying the rafters like that? Someone could have been hurt!"

"It was an accident! Besides, you're missing the important thing here!"

"What, pray tell, is that?"

"You saw it, right? The blue fist that destroyed the rafters? Johana, you summoned a stand!"

"I don't care."

"But-"

"Nero, this was a one time thing. I don't want to get involved in any more Stand battles.

"Fine," Nero says as he hands Johana the bouquet. "Tell your friend I said hello."

Nero places his hand on the doorknob and tries to open the door. "It's a push door," Johana says.

"I am pushing," Nero snaps back.

"Well, then try pulling."

"I've tried pulling, it doesn't work. The door is stuck shut or something."

"Try unlocking it."

Nero jiggles the lock and tries opening the door once more, to no avail. "I told you, it's stuck," Nero says.

Viva La Vida appears behind Nero and punches the door, sending it flying from its hinges and into the hallway. "Was that really necessary?" Johana asks.

Suddenly, Mylo screams. "What the fuck is that thing!" he yells while pointing at Viva La Vida.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 6: Coldplay, Part 2


	6. Chapter 6: Coldplay, Part 2

**Chapter 5: Coldplay, Part 2**

Slowly, Nero takes a step towards Mylo. "What is it that you see?" Nero asks.

"What do the hell do you mean? That thing!" Mylo screams. "That monster by the door!"

Nero glances at his Stand, Viva La Vida, who stands by the now doorless entrance of the hospital room. "This thing by the door, what does it look like?" he asks.

"Why aren't you people freaking out?"

"Mylo, there isn't anything by the door," Kan says.

"If there isn't anything by the door, then what punched it off its hinges?" Mylo says.

"I wasn't looking when the door got knocked off," Kan replies. "I assumed that Nero punched the door for some reason."

"Mylo, please describe this thing by the door for me. Is it wearing a crown?" Nero asks.

"Uh huh," Mylo mumbles.

"Curious," Nero says before dismissing his Stand. "Can you see it now?"

"It...it disappeared?" Mylo says.

Nero glances at Johana. "He's a Stand User," he says.

"I noticed," Johana says.

"Do you think he's an enemy?"

"I can still hear you two talking about me," Mylo says.

Nero takes a step towards Mylo. "Look out!" Johana shouts.

Nero jumps out of the way just in time to dodge a massive icicle falling from the ceiling. "Are you okay?" Kan asks.

"I seem to be alright," Nero mutters.

Nero takes another step towards Mylo. Frost crawls up his legs and onto his torso, freezing most of his body in an instant. Viva La Vida strikes Nero, melting the ice and sending him flying back. "Very, very interesting," Nero says.

Johana helps Nero to his feet. "From now on, we should all stay a decent distance away from Mylo, lest we end up frozen," he says.

"Stay away from me?" Mylo yells. "I don't even know what's going on!"

"That ice grew so fast," Kan says. "I've never seen anything like it. Do you think some unexplainable supernatural thing is going on?"

"There is indeed something supernatural going on, but it is something very explainable," Nero says. "I would appreciate it if the two of you held all of your questions until the end of my explanation."

"Just tell me what's going on already," Mylo says.

"Mylo and I possess something called a Stand," Nero says. "Think of them as living manifestations of our souls. These manifestations can only be seen by others who possess Stands. The strange individual you saw by the doorway is my Stand."

"But, I don't have one of those things," Mylo says.

"I believe you do. All of the ice that has been forming around this room, I believe it to be the work of a Stand," Nero says. "This Stand attacked me when I moved closer to you. Ergo, this Stand is yours and is working to protect you."

"I didn't try to attack you," Mylo says.

"Stands do not always follow the orders of their Users," Nero says. "Some rare Stands, what we call _Automatic Stands_, follow a predetermined set of instructions regardless of what their Users want. I believe that you, Mylo, possess and Automatic Stand that cools things in its range and protects you from harm."

"It's...protecting me?"

"Mylo, has anything strange happened to you recently that may have led to you awakening this ability?"

"A guy shot me with a bow and arrow recently. Does that count as weird?"

Nero's blood turns cold. "There's an arrow in London," he whispers.

"What's so significant about Mylo getting shot by a bow and arrow?" Kan asks.

Nero takes a deep breath. "There exists a set of six magic arrows that bestow Stands to those they pierce," Nero says. "The founders of the Speedwagon Foundation discovered one in Egypt a century ago. Another was found by one of our researchers in 1999. We've been looking for the other four arrows for years."

"What's the problem then?" Kan asks. "You've found one of the missing arrows, shouldn't you be happy?"

Nero shakes his head. "These arrows can be used to make an army of nearly unbeatable Stand Users," he says. "We don't know how many people the archer has shot, but it's likely that Mylo isn't the first. There are an unknown number of powerful Stand Users running around London."

"Kan, you know how everyone at the concert fell unconscious?" Johana asks. "That was the work of a Stand User."

"We need to find the individual that shot Mylo and recover the arrow as soon as possible," Nero says.

"I know where the arrow is," Mylo interjects.

Nero does a double take. "You do?" he asks.

"Yeah. It was still stuck in my shoulder when the paramedics brought me to the hospital," Mylo says. "It's probably still somewhere in this hospital."

"Okay, new plan," Johana says. "Let's go get that arrow."

"Hospitals usually incinerate medical waste," Nero says. "I'll go find the incinerator room and see if the arrow is there."

Before he can leave, Kan screams out in pain. Johana runs over to her friend's side. "What's wrong?" she asks.

"My arm!" Kan cries.

Johana glances at the IV going into Kan's arm. Frost has covered the bag and the injection site is blue and bruised. Johana rips the IV out of Kan's arm. "What's wrong?" Mylo asks.

"Kan's IV froze," Johana says.

"Did...did I do this?" Mylo asks.

"Not consciously," Nero says. "Your Stand seems to be cooling everything around you against your wishes."

Nero looks out into the hospital hallway and sees a ceiling covered in icicles. Throughout the hall, ice covers doors, freezing them shut. "It seems that your Stand is affecting more than just this hospital room," he says.

"The fact that nobody came to investigate when you punched the door off its hinges was probably our first clue," Johana says.

"The entire hospital is slowly freezing," Nero says. "If we don't stop this cooling soon, countless people will die."

"I'd stop it if I could, but I don't have any control over this," Mylo says.

"Normally, we could get rid of your Stand by knocking you unconscious. Unfortunately, Automatic Stands have the ability to persist even after their Users have been defeated. It might disappear if we were to kill you-"

Frost begins to form on Nero's legs. He sighs. "I'm not going to kill you," he says. "What I am going to do is figure out how where your Stand is hiding so I can stop it. Okay?"

Johana places her hand on the shoulder of Kan, who clutches her bruised arm. "Stay safe," she says.

Johana follows after Nero. "So, what's your plan to find the Stand?" Johana asks.

"It's colder out here in the hall than in the room," Nero says. "I am willing to bet that this is because areas closer to the Stand cool faster than areas farther away. Thus, if we find the coldest part of the hospital, we'll find the Stand."

"How do you intend to figure out the coldest part of the hospital?"

"I saw a security room by the reception desk when I came into the hospital. If we look at the camera feeds, we should be able to find the room with the most ice growth."

Nero smashes a fire alarm with his Stand. "That should make sure everyone who can leave will leave," he says.

Nero and Johana walk into a stairwell. As she takes her first step, her foot slips, sending her plummeting down two flights of stairs. "Are you okay, JoJo?" Nero asks.

"I'm fine," she snaps from the ground.

Nero jumps after her. "It's freezing down here," he says as he lands.

Nero helps Johana to her feet and smashes open the door to the ground floor of the hospital. The duo gaze out to a sea of ice covering the floor, ceiling, and walls of the hospital. A nurse and an old man in a wheelchair sit in the middle of the hallway, frozen solid. "It's definitely getting colder the lower we go," Nero says with a frown.

Nero and Johana carefully walk towards the security room. "So, how do you plan to defeat this Stand after you find it?" Johana asks.

"Viva's decay abilities allow me to melt any ice I come across. I'm sure I won't have any problems."

"Sorta like how Viva could decay Jimmy's webs so you didn't have any problems fighting him?"

Nero ignores her and keeps walking. He reaches the door of the security room and breaks it open. Shoving two frozen security guards out of the way, he scans the camera feeds, searching for the Stand. "It's hard to tell which of these cameras shows the coldest part of the hospital," Nero says. "Half of them are frozen over."

"Can you see a Stand on any of them?" Johana asks.

Nero shakes his head. "Stands don't appear on video," he says.

Johana leans in and takes a closer look. "These cameras aren't showing anything," she says while pointing at a couple of black screens.

"Those are the cameras in the basement," Nero says while scratching his chin.

"If it gets colder the lower we get, and the cameras in the basement are completely gone-"

"The Stand must be in the basement."

Johana begins to walk away. Nero stops her. "Take a look at this," he says while pointing at a screen showing a room on the second floor. "Do you know what this is?"

Johana squints at the grey box on the monitor. "No, what is it?" she asks.

"It's an incinerator," Nero says. "And, if you look closely, you can see that there's an arrow sitting beside it."

"The arrow that gave Mylo his Stand."

"Precisely. The individual that shot Mylo likely isn't happy about losing the arrow and may come to retrieve it. If we don't get that arrow now, we may be facing a dozen Mylo's tomorrow."

"We can't just ignore the ice Stand."

"Of course not. I'll go to the basement to deal with the Stand, while you head to the second floor and retrieve the arrow. That way, we can accomplish both missions at once."

Johana walks back to the staircase, while Nero digs a hole in the floor using his Stand. If the duo had stayed in the security room for a moment longer, they may have seen a man in a suit and a cowboy hat approach the hospital on the camera feed.

When he reaches the frozen door of the hospital, the man in the suit and cowboy hat summons his Stand, a large, pig-like beast with a harpoon for an arm. The Stand aims its harpoon and fires it into the hospital lobby, embedding its hook in the front desk

The Stand jerks its arm back, pulling back the desk. The desk crashes through the frozen doorway, shattering it, and lands in the hospital parking lot. The man in the suit and cowboy hat walks into the hospital. He seeks a treasure possessed by Mylo and is willing to kill as many people as he needs to retrieve it.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 7: Coldplay, Part 3

**STAND ****STATS**

Name: Coldplay

Dub Name: Cold Day

User: Mylo Xyloto

Namesake: "Coldplay" (British Rock Band)

Appearance: Coldplay takes the form of a golden elephant statue, aproximently three meters tall, with sapphires for eyes and a pair of snowflakes carved into its side.

Abilities: Coldplay is an automatic stand that slowly lowers the temperature of all matter within is range. In addition, Coldplay has the ability to focus all of its cooling effect in a specific area. This more precise version of Coldplay's freezing is used solely to protect Coldplay and its User.

Stats: Power-B, Speed-E, Range-A, Durability-A, Precision-C, Potential-E


	7. Chapter 7: Coldplay, Part 3

**Chapter 7: Coldplay, Part 3**

Nero lands in the basement and is greeted by a world of ice. Shivering, he rubs his exposed arms and regrets wearing a tank top. He glances around the room he's in, a basement storage room, and sighs when he doesn't find Mylo's Stand.

Nero breaks his way through a wall, exiting the storage room and ending up in a deserted hallway. A map of the basement sits on the wall. Nero reads it and learns that he's close to the hospital laundry.

Nero tries to walk away from the map, but can't move his legs. He glances down and sees that his feet have frozen to the ground. With a sigh, Nero breaks the ice using Viva La Vida and walks to the laundry room.

Nero walks into the laundry room and pulls a lab coat out of a hamper. "Salvation," he says as he puts the coat on.

The frozen coat shatters as soon as Nero moves his arms.

The man in the suit and cowboy hat walks up to reception. The frozen corpse of the receptionist sits in her chair, still staring at the book she was reading. "Excuse me, madam. My name is Mr. Burnham. I was hoping you could help me find a patient," the man in the hat says.

The receptionist doesn't respond, for obvious reasons. Mr. Burnham waits for a moment before scowling and pounding his fist on the counter. "Hey bitch!" he shouts, "It's rude to ignore people when they ask you a fucking question!"

Once again, the receptionist doesn't respond. Mr. Burnham in the hat takes a deep breath, regaining his composure, and notices a bell sitting in front of him. "Forgive my rudeness, madam, I hadn't noticed the bell," he says. "I presume that I'm supposed to ring it to get your attention."

He rings the bell. The dead receptionist, in what must be an act of pure malice, doesn't lift her head from her book. Mr. Burnham grits his teeth before summoning his Stand. The Stand points its harpoon arm at the receptionist's chest and fires. The harpoon pierces the woman's heart. The Stand rips its arm back, pulling out the receptionist's heart and killing her.

Mr. Burnham stares at the receptionist, waiting to hear her scream. After a minute of silence, he realizes his mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry madam. I assumed you were ignoring me out of cruelty you ignored me because you were dead."

Mr. Burnham jumps over the counter and kicks the receptionist's body out of the way. He taps away on her computer, looking for Mylo Xyloto's room number. "Room 329," he mumbles to himself.

He steps away from the computer, crushing the receptionist's head beneath his boot in the process. His Stand wraps its arm around his chest and aims its harpoon at the ceiling. It fires, passing through the floors of the second and third floors and sinking into the ceiling of the third floor. The Stand retracts its harpoon and is pulled off the floor, sending it and Mr. Burnham flying through the air. When they reach the ceiling, instead of being stopped, they pass through like ghosts.

Mr. Burnham and his Stand arrive on the third floor and begin checking room numbers, searching for Mylo. When he arrives at room 329, he notices the door lying on the ground. "It seems I'm in the right place," he says.

Mr. Burnham and the Stand lean against the doorframe. The Stand sniffs. "Two people, one man and one woman," Mr. Burnham mutters to himself. "The man's scent is similar to the smell from the alley."

His Stand bursts through the open doorway and fires its harpoon, hitting the person in the bed closest to the door in the leg. The Stand yanks its arm back, pulling the bedridden individual out into the hallway. "You're fucked, Mylo!" Mr. Burnham shouts.

Mr. Burnham glances down at the person he pulled out of the room, a Japanese woman in a hospital gown who clutches her now bloody leg. Mr. Burnham frowns. "I'm terribly sorry, miss," he says. "I mistook you for someone else. I suppose I should have knocked first."

Mr. Burnham leans down and knocks on the door sitting in the hallway. "Mylo Xyloto, I'd like permission to enter your room," he says.

"Who are you?" Kan asks.

"Hush now, I'm talking to Mr. Xyloto," Mr. Burnham says.

He waits for a moment for Mylo to answer. When Mylo doesn't, he storms into the hospital room. "Answer your fucking door, you stupid cockweasel!" he shouts.

He pulls back the curtain to find a wall of ice. Mylo stands on the other side of the wall, shivering. "What do you want with me?" Mylo asks.

"Young man, when you came into this hospital you were in possession of something valuable. I want it."

"I don't have it anymore, it's in the incinerator room now."

"Bull fucking shit! You think I'm a moron? You think you can just lie to me like that and I won't notice?"  
Mr. Burnham's Stand points its harpoon at Mylo. Mylo dives to the ground to avoid being hit. The harpoon strikes the wall behind the Mylo. The Stand brings its harpoon back, pulling back a chunk of drywall.

Before his Stand can fire again, an icicle falls from the ceiling, impaling him in the shoulder. Mr. Burnham sighs. "It seems your stand does more than just cool matter in its range," he says.

Kan pulls herself to her feet and runs into the hospital room, grabbing Nero's flowers off the ground. Kan slams the now frozen bouquet, striking Mr. Burnham in the back. Mr. Burnham elbows her in the face, knocking her out. "That's what you get for messing with me, bitch," he shouts.

He turns back towards the ice wall. Mylo is gone. A gaping hole sits in the floor. Mr. Burnham sighs. "It's a shame that he thinks running will help," he says.

Ice grows on Mr. Burnham's legs. Unfazed, he aims his Stand's harpoon at the ice wall and fires. The harpoon passes through the ice wall and embeds in the hospital wall. The Stand pulls Mr. Burnham through, leaving behind icy casts of his legs.

Mr. Burnham jumps through the hole, landing on the second floor. "Interesting, his stand created icicles to weigh down that section of the floor until collapses," Mr. Burnham mumbles to himself.

The Stand sniffs the hallway before pointing its harpoon at a room and firing. The Stand rips its harpoon back, ripping Mylo from his hiding place. As Mylo is dragged towards Mr. Burnham, the ground beneath him freezes, locking him in place. An icicle falls from the ceiling, striking Mr. Burnham in the arm and freeing Mylo.

Mylo runs as fast as he can to get away from Mr. Burnham. He rounds a corner, slipping out of Burnham's sight for a moment. Mr. Burnham rolls his eyes and fires his Stand's harpoon through several hospital rooms, striking the other side of the corner.

Mr. Burnham passes through the wall in front of Mylo. His Stand strikes Mylo, knocking him off his feet. Mr. Burnham aims his harpoon down at Mylo's chest. "Take solace in the fact that your death will be quick, Mr. Xyloto," Mr. Burnham says.

When he says this, Mr. Burnham happens to be standing right next to the door to the hospital stairwell. Mr. Burnham doesn't really pay much attention to this door. If he did, he might predict what's about to happen.

Johana bursts through the door and kicks Mr. Burnham in the face, knocking him off balance and causing the harpoon to miss Mylo. "You stupid whore, you broke my fucking face!" Mr. Burnham screams.

Johana runs over to Mylo and helps him to his feet. "Who's your friend?" she asks.

Down in the basement, Nero knocks down door after door in his search for Mylo's Stand. His fingers have begun to turn black and he knows he can't do this for much longer. He comes to a door completely encased in ice. After melting the ice with his Stand, Nero is able to make out the sign on the door: _Radiographic Imaging Room_.

"It's a place where they make X-Rays," Nero mumbles.

Nero knocks down the door and comes face to face with a large golden elephant.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 8: Coldplay, Part 4

**STAND ****STATS**

Name: Deep

Dub Name: Below

User: Mr. Burnham

Namesake: "#Deep" (Bo Burnham Song)

Appearance: Deep takes the form of a fat purple man with a pig's head. Deep's skin appears to be made out of some kind of felt and is covered in stitches. The most noticeable feature of deep is its right arm, which has been replaced by a rusty metal harpoon.

Abilities: Deep has the ability to fire its harpoon arm and pull it back, allowing Mr. Burnham to bring far off objects close to him in an instant. Mr. Burnham possesses the ability to turn Deep, Deep's harpoon, and anything touching Deep or its harpoon intangible. Using this ability, Deep can travel through walls by turning itself intangible or bring back items contained within other items. In addition, Deep possesses an incredibly accurate sense of smell.

Stats: Power-B, Speed-C, Range-D, Durability-B, Precision-C, Potential-D


	8. Chapter 8: Coldplay, Part 4

Chapter 8: Coldplay, Par 4

Nero dashes into the X-Ray room, charging for the golden elephant Stand. His Stand, Viva La Vida, flies forward to strike the elephant. A pillar of ice forms in front of him. Viva crashes headfirst into the pillar.

Frost appears on Nero's legs, climbing up his body and encasing him in ice. Viva La Vida turns around and strikes its user, melting the ice and sending Nero flying out of the X-Ray room.

Nero crawls to his feet and sighs. "I have a feeling that this will take a while," he says.

Johana and Mylo run down the icy hallway, trying to get as far away from Mr. Burnham as possible. "Your attempts to flee are pointless, Mr. Xyloto," Mr. Burnham says as his Stand aims its harpoon and fires.

Johana shoves Mylo to the side, moving him out of the path of the harpoon. Ice forms on her legs, sticking her to the floor. The harpoon flies by and strikes a vending machine at the end of the hall. The Stand pulls its harpoon back, dragging the vending machine down the hall.

Johana grabs Mylo by the shoulder and flings him over the vending machine. "Run!" she shouts as the vending machine crashes into her.

Mr. Burnham walks over to Johana. She's injured, barely conscious, and crushed beneath an overturned vending machine. Mr. Burnham leans down and spits in Johana's face. The spit freezes as it hits Johana's cheek, giving her a rather unpleasant burning sensation. "That's what you get for getting in my way, bitch," Mr. Burnham says.

Mr. Burnham reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He taps a few buttons on the vending machine, ordering a bottle of soda. He opens up his wallet, sighs, and returns it to his pocket. "Pardon me, but would you happen to have some change I could borrow?" he asks. "All of this attempted murder has left me a bit parched and I'm a tad bit short."

"Go to hell," Johana says.

Mr. Burnham shakes his head. "Kids these days," he mutters. "So rude."

The Stand fires its harpoon into the vending machine and rips out a can of soda. Mr. Burnham takes a sip before gagging and throwing it over his head. "Stupid hospital," he mutters, "Soda's so cold it's almost frozen."

A snowball flies over the vending machine and hits Mr. Burnham in the head. Mr. Burnham growls and climbs over the vending machine. Instead of Mylo being long gone like he expects, the young man stands at the end of the hallway, shivering as he raises his fists in a timid fighting stance. "I figured you'd've fucked off by now," Burnham says.

"You're after me, right? Johana isn't part of this," Mylo says. "I don't want to abandon her."

"How noble."

"Look, I'm not a very respectable person. I don't have a job, or a girlfriend, or any friends, or a dog, or loving parents-"

"Is this little tangent going to go on for much longer?"

"Johana's risking her life to save mine. It doesn't seem right for someone that good to die for a miserable sack of shit like me."

Mr. Burnham laughs. "I like you," he says. "Shame I have to break your fucking neck."

The Stand lifts its arm and prepares to fire its harpoon. Ice forms on its arm, locking it in place. Hundreds of icicles form on the ceiling and rain down on Mr. Burnham.

Before the icicles can impale Mr. Burnham, his Stand fires its harpoon at a wall. Mr. Burnham is pulled into a neighboring exam room, narrowly dodging the icicles.

Mylo turns to face the wall and prepares himself for Mr. Burnham's eventual counterattack. "He's going to fire that harpoon, then burst out and strike me with his Stand," Mylo mutters to himself.

Little does he know that, at that very moment, Mr. Burnham is using his Stand to pull himself up to the third floor. Once on the third floor, Mr. Burnham positions himself above Mylo. He fires the harpoon through the floor, striking Mylo in the shoulder.

Mylo is pulled into the ceiling, breaking his nose as well as the ceiling tiles. The Stand releases Mylo and he falls back onto the floor, landing on the concrete floor. Mylo opens his eyes in time to roll out of the way of the harpoon, fired again in an attempt to strike a vital area. The harpoon stabs the floor beside Mylo.

Mr. Burnham and his Stand fly through the ceiling, pulled towards Mylo. As they fall, the Stand pulls its fists back to smash Mylo. Mylo raises his hands over his head in a feeble attempt to defend himself.

In an instant, a dozen sharpened spears of ice form on the floor around Mylo. Mr. Bunham, unable to react in time, is impaled on the frozen spikes. "Didn't see that coming," he mutters, blood dripping from his mouth.

Mylo runs over to the vending machine. He grabs the bottom of the machine and starts to lift. Well, tries to lift. The heavy vending machine doesn't budge, no matter how hard he exerts himself.

Suddenly, the vending raises slightly. Not because of Mylo's efforts, of course, but rather as a result of Johana using Hamon to increase her strength enough to budge the vending machine. "Johana!" Mylo shouts.

Johana lies in a plank position, with the weight of the vending bearing down on her back. "This is about all I can muster," Johana wheezes. "Go get Nero, he's in the basement. He'll be able to fix this."

Mylo shakes his head. "This thing is crushing you," he says. "By the time we get back, you'll be dead."

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"This," Mylo says as he slides his head under the vending machine.

"What are you doing?" Johana asks.

"My Stand creates ice to protect me, right? That means it won't let this vending machine crush my skull."

"That's insane."

"Drop the vending machine. We'll see how insane it is."

Johana shakes her head. "I'm not going to do that," she says.

Mylo smiles and punches Johana in the arm. Johana slips, crashing down onto her chest. Before the vending machine can land on Mylo's head, a jack made out of ice forms beneath the vending machine and holds it up.

Mylo lets loose a sigh of relief. "Can't believe that really worked," he says.

Johana crawls out from beneath the vending machine. "That was really brave of you," she says. "Not the type of thing a miserable sack of shit would do."

Mylo laughs. "Maybe I was a little hard on myself," he says.

Nero walks as far from the X-Ray room as he can so he can get a good running start. He barrels down the basement hallway, charging for Mylo's Stand. He leaps through the door, summoning Viva La Vida midair.

As he moves through the air, Nero freezes, becoming as stiff as a statue. Still, the momentum from his running start keeps him moving. He closes in on the Stand, Viva La Vida's fist stretched out in front of him.

The Stand smacks Nero with its trunk, knocking him off course and sending him crashing into the X-Ray machine.

Johana glances over at Mr. Burnham. He's still impaled on the ice spikes. "Hey! Are you still alive?" Johana yells.

"Just you wait," Mr. Burnham grunts through chattering teeth. "In a moment, you'll be dead, and I'll have what I want."

"I told you, I don't have the arrow," Mylo says.

Mr. Burnham laughs. "The arrow? You think I'm after the arrow?" he says. "I already have a powerful Stand, why on earth would I need the arrow?"

"If you don't want the arrow, why are you after Mylo?" Johana asks.

"I'm here for the fucking bracelet, dumbass!" Mr. Burnham shouts.

Johana glances at Mylo's arms. A paper hospital bracelet is wrapped around his wrist. "Do you mean the hospital bracelet?" Johana asks.

"The hospital bracelet? Surely you jest. I'm referring to the ruby bracelet Woodstock gave Mr. Xyloto," Mr. Burnham says.

Johana gives Mylo a confused look. Mylo shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know anyone named Woodstock, and I don't know anything about a ruby bracelet," he says.

Johana turns back to Mr. Burnham. Before she can ask him about Woodstock, she notices that the Stand's harpoon has been fired into the floor. Johana jumps back. "Mylo, he's got something on the end of the hook!" she shouts.

Mylo runs to Johana's side. "He was keeping us talking so he could pull something from a lower floor up here," she says.

"The harpoon normally returns almost instantly," Mylo says. "How deep did he shoot the harpoon to make it take this long to come back? The basement?"

Mr. Burnham laughs. "I sent my hook far deeper than the basement," he says.

The harpoon rushes back to Mr. Burnham, bringing with it gallons of molten magma, ripped from deep underground. The magma splashes over the walls of the hospital, narrowly missing Mylo and Johana. "Run!" Johana shouts.

Mylo and Johana run from the burning hallway. The harpoon flies between their heads. Mr. Burnham, freed from his prison when the ice spears melted, flies down the hallway. He reaches Mylo and smacks him with his Stand, slamming the young man into a wall.

Mr. Burnham grabs Mylo by the throat. "Your stupid ice won't form now that I've heated this hallway with lava!" he shouts.

"It's magma," Mylo mutters.

"What?"

"It came from belowground, that makes it magma."

"Yes, but I drug it up using my Stand. That makes it lava."

Johana grabs an IV pole and slams it into Mr. Burnham's skull. "Catch me if you can, asshole," Johana says before sprinting down the hallway.

Mr. Burnham drops Mylo and chases Johana down the hallway. He fires his Stand's harpoon at the end of the hall and flies towards Johana. She ducks just in time to avoid being struck by him.

Mr. Burnham lands at the end of the hallway. He turns around and fires his harpoon at Johana, striking her in the shoulder. He drags her to him and knees her in the stomach. "How foolish, to think you could escape from me so easily," Mr. Burnham says.

"I wasn't trying to escape, I was trying to lead you away," Johana mumbles.

Mr. Burnham slams his Stand fist down on Johana. That didn't work out, did it, bitch?"

Far away from Johana and Mr. Burnham, Mylo leans against a wall. "You're part of me, right?" he whispers to himself. "Stands are a reflection of someone's soul. That means you should be able to hear me. I need you to do something for me."

Down in the basement, Mylo's Stand hears his plea. "I know you only protect me, but I need you to make an exception," Mylo whispers. "Johana's my friend. She's been protecting me better that you have. Please, use your powers to save her."

At the end of the hall, ice forms on Mr. Burnham's legs. "You misunderstood me," Johana says. "I wasn't leading you away from Mylo, I was leading you away from the magma."

Johana kicks Mr. Burnham in the elbow. Mr. Bunham's arm and his Stand's arm are knocked back, pointing at a frozen window. The ice grows, freezing Mr. Burnham's arm and locking it in place.

"It's over," Johana says. "If you fire your harpoon, you'll be pulled out that window. I don't know if you'll survive, but you definitely won't be able to hurt us."

Nero crashes fist first into the X-Ray machine. The machine starts to spark and sends out a blast of X-Ray radiation directly at Mylo's Stand. The Stand shrieks and strikes the X-Ray machine with its trunk. When it finally destroys the machine, Nero is gone.

"You fell for my plan, Stand of Mylo," Nero says from behind the elephant. "X-Ray machines are capable of releasing far more radiation than is needed. When I touched the machine, I used Viva La Vida's deterioration ability to destroy the machine's limiter. I planned for you to knock me into the machine! The heat from the radiation melted my ice and distracted you long enough for me to get in close!"

Nero unleashes a flurry of blows into the back of Mylo's Stand. "VIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVA!" Nero shouts.

The golden elephant fades away. All throughout the hospital, the icicles and frozen floors melt. The ice covering the nurse and old man in the first floor hallway melts away. And, the ice imprisoning Mr. Burnham melts away.

The moment the ice around his arm melts, Mr. Burnham swings it at Johana and fires his harpoon. Johana jumps out of the way just in time. She punches Mr. Burnham in the stomach. "Hit me all you want, I've done what I wanted," Mr. Burnham says.

The harpoon flies back to Mr. Burnham, bringing with it a piece of bloody flesh. Johana turns around to a grisly sight. Mylo stands in the center of the hallway, a bloody hole over his heart.

Johana runs to Mylo. "It's okay, it's going to be okay," she whispers through tears.

"Don't waste your tears...for a miserable sack of shit like me," Mylo mutters.

_Mylo Xyloto - Age 26 - Deceased_

Johana wipes her tears. She turns back to Mr. Burnham. "I really hate watching people die," she whispers.

Johana screams loud enough that the entire hospital hears her. Her heart beats a thousand times a minute as burning rage flows through her veins. She clenches her fists so hard blood drips from her palms.

Her rage pours out of her, taking a physical form. The form of a metal woman, with gunmetal black skin and a mohawk of red spikes. Johana Joestar has awoken her Stand.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 9: Johana Awakens


	9. Chapter 9: Johana Awakens

Chapter 9: Johana Awakens

The Stand is tall and thin, with mechanical joints and iron skin. It looks like something pulled out of a junkyard; its skin is covered in scratches and rust. A pair of triangular sunglasses, scarlet like the Stand's mohawk, cover its golden eyes. Dozens of metal rods poke out of the Stand's back. Red bands, like the cylinders of a revolver, cover the Stand's wrists. The Stand hunches over beside Johana, its arms dangling at its side.

"Seems that there's more to you than I thought," Mr. Burnham says.

Johana stares at her Stand. Slowly, she moves her hand and touches her Stand on the shoulder. The Stand elbows her in the stomach, knocking her onto her back.

The Stand runs down the hallway, roaring through a mouth of pointed teeth as it charges at Mr. Burnham. Johana feels a pull, like a chain has been wrapped around her stomach. The chain grows tight and Johana is drug across the floor, following after her charging Stand.

As it runs down the hallway, the crimson bands covering Johana's Stand's wrists begin to spin, creating a noise similar to that of a jet engine. As Johana's Stand grows close, Mr. Burnham's Stand, Deep, aims its harpoon at a nearby hospital room. Right before Johana's Stand strikes him, Mr. Burnham fires the harpoon.

Mr. Burnham is pulled out of the way of Johana's Stand's strike. The punch from the unnamed Stand shatters the window. Johana, kept moving by the momentum created when her Stand drug her, slides out the open window.

Johana's Stand grabs her by her hair and yanks her back into the hospital. Johana slams onto the hard floor of the hallway and groans. "Congrats, Johana, you summoned an amazing Stand," she mutters from the floor.

Johana pulls herself to her feet and takes a deep breath, using Hamon to heal the bruises from her trip across the floor. "I don't recall telling you to go berserk like that," Johana says. "I guess I need to practice controlling you."

The Stand grabs Johana by the hair again and pulls her out of the way just in time to keep her from being struck by Mr. Burnham's harpoon. "Okay, stop it with the hair thing," Johana says.

The Stand takes off again, charging towards the source of the harpoon, a hospital room with a closed door. Johana chases after her Stand. The Stand breaks down the door, revealing an empty exam room. The Stand growls and starts tearing the room apart, looking for Mr. Burnham.

"You seem to be a close-range power type, similar to Nero's Viva La Vida," Johana says as she steps into the room. "Nero's Stand has the ability to decay things by punching them, do you have a secondary ability like that?"

The Stand doesn't respond. Instead, it rips a cabinet full of medical supplies off the wall and slams it on the ground. The Stand starts kicking the cabinet. "Not much of a talker, are you?" Johana quips.

The Stand kicks Johana in the stomach, knocking her away from Mr. Burnham's harpoon. The harpoon hits a cabinet and pulls it back through the wall of the hospital room. Johana's Stand roars and chases after the cabinet, slamming face-first into the wall.

Johana runs after her Stand. "Stop charging like a maniac!" she shouts.

The Stand stops and roars at Johana. "Stands are manifestations of a person's psyche, right? That means that you're just my subconscious," Johana says. "Look, I get that you're angry. I'm pissed about Mylo to. But we can't just go nuts and destroy shit. We need to keep our cool. Otherwise, we won't be able to avenge Mylo. Okay?"

The Stand grunts and crosses its arms. Johana smiles. "Okay, let's be smart about this. This guy's been attacking us through the walls, but disappearing when we get close to him. He knows that we're strong at close range, so he's trying to get a good shot in from a distance. We need to figure out where he's attacking us from," Johana says.

Johana digs through the cabinets, looking for something she can use to track down Mr. Burnham. As she digs, her arm brushes against her hair. She stops digging for a moment and touches her hair. Earlier, when she'd come to the hospital, her hair was tied up in a tight braid. She'd felt the bun come undone as she was drug across the floor. But now, only a few minutes later, her hair is twisted into a pair of braids. Johana shrugs this off and goes back to her search.

Johana pulls out a glass bottle full of red liquid. "You have a pretty good reaction time, judging from the fact that you've been able to protect me from that harpoon," Johana says while handing her Stand the bottle. "Next time that harpoon comes through this wall, I need you to throw this at it, okay?"

The harpoon flies through the wall once more. Johana's Stand pushes her out of the way and throws the glass bottle at the harpoon. When the harpoon pierces the glass bottle, it shatters, spilling the red medicine on the floor. The harpoon reels back, dragging the broken glass with it.

As the harpoon flies back to Mr. Burnham, the broken bottle leaves a trail of red droplets. Johana follows the trail of red drops to a locked door on the other side of the hospital. She strikes the lock with her Stand and walks into an empty room.

"He must have moved to a different room while we were following the trail," Johana says.

Johana notices a faint humming noise, barely audible due to the jet engine roar of the Stand's wristbands, and looks at the floor. The room's doorknob, punched out of the door by Johana's Stand, is spinning on the floor like a top. Johana reaches down and grabs the doorknob.

She throws the knob at her Stand, who punches it, sending it into the wall right next to a window. Johana walks over to the wall and looks at the doorknob. The doorknob, embedded in the wall, spins in place like a carousel. Johana grabs her braids and looks at her Stand. The Stand's red revolver wristbands are still spinning.

"I get it now," Johana says. "Those cylinders generate rotational energy that you send into things you touch. That's how my hair got braided. You grabbed my hair to pull me back through the window, spinning my hair into a pair of braids in the process."

Something clicks in Johana's mind. She turns to the window. Red medicine is splattered against the glass. Slowly, Johana walks over to the window and glances out. The broken glass bottle lies in the parking lot two stories below the window. Before she can react, the harpoon strikes Johana her in the shoulder and rips her out of the hospital.

The harpoon releases her and Johana falls down towards the parking lot. Stand runs after her and leaps through the window. It grabs Johana by the arm and throws her at the window. Johana reaches for the open window. Her arm comes just short of reaching it. The bandages on her arm, infused with rotational energy by her Stand, partially unwrap from her arm and tie around the windowsill, saving Johana from falling.

"That was rather impressive," Mr. Bunham says.

His Stand holds onto the hospital wall with its human hand, gripping Mr. Bunrham tight with its elbow to keep him from falling. The harpoon arm points at Johana, ready to fire. "So that's how you've been moving around," Johana says. "You've been staying on the outside of the hospital so I couldn't find you, waiting for your chance to hit me so you could pull me to my death."

"Pretty smart, ain't it?" Mr. Bunham says with a smile.

"Not really. I'm disappointed it took me so long to figure out what you were doing."

Mr. Burnham frowns and fires his harpoon at Johana. "I'll show you disappointment, you bitch!" he shouts.

Johana's Stand reappears behind her and kicks off the side of the hospital, sending the duo high into the air. The Stand punches the hospital wall, twisting a pipe out. Johana grabs onto the pipe to prevent herself from falling.

While Mr. Burnham pulls his harpoon back, Johana's Stand rips a brick out of the hospital wall and throws it at Mr. Burnham. The shot goes wide, easily missing Mr. Burnham. "A lackluster attempt to hit me," Mr. Burnham says as his harpoon returns.

"Ever hear of curving a shot?" Johana says.

The brick curves through the air and strikes Mr. Burnham in the back of the head. He loses his grip on the side of the hospital and falls. Panicking, he fires his harpoon at Johana. Johana's Stand punches the harpoon before it can hit her, infusing it with rotational energy and sending it up to the hospital's roof. The end of the harpoon strikes the roof and Mr. Burnham is pulled upwards.

Johana's Stand punches the pipe, causing it to twist once more and fling Johana upwards. Johana and Mr. Burnham both land on the roof at the same time. Mr. Burnham fires his harpoon once more. Once again, Johana's Stand hits the end of the harpoon, sending it off course.

The harpoon flies back towards Mr. Burnham and wraps around him, tying him up. Johana charges at Mr. Burnham and unleashes a flurry of blows using her Stand. "ORAORAORAORAORAORA!" Johana screams.

The blows from Johana's Stand shatter Mr. Burnham's bones and send him flying back towards the edge of the roof. Johana runs after him and grabs him by the foot just in time. She pulls the unconscious man back onto the roof.

_Mr. Burnham - Age 37 - Retired_

Johana hears the sound of her Stand's cylinders powering up. She turns around to see her Stand towering over her. The Stand stares at Mr. Burnham with killing intent. Johana stands her ground and crosses her arms. "No," she says.

The Stand growls. "Look, I get that you're mad," Johana says. "You're my subconscious, you're the living manifestation of all the anger I've buried over the years. But we're not killing him. There's been enough death today."

The Stand scoffs before fading away. Johana walks over to the edge of the roof and takes a deep breath. The sun is rising, spreading its warming light throughout the city of London. A night of hard battles has ended, but many more lie on the horizon.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 10: The Stranger on the Phone


	10. Chapter 10: The Stranger on the Phone

**Chapter 10: The Stranger on the Phone**

Nero pushes open the door to the incinerator room. It's deserted. Small puddles, remnants of the now melted icicles that filled the hospital, dot the floor. The arrow sits next to the incinerator.

The arrowhead is golden, with a carving of a beetle with a single red eye.

Kan stumbles into the incinerator room. She's changed back into her normal outfit, and a bandage covers her broken nose. "Hey," she says.

"Miss Nijimura, how are you feeling?" Nero asks.

"Confused, mostly. This guy showed up to attack Mylo. He elbowed me in the face," Kan says. "Last time I saw Mylo, he was running to the second floor."

Nero frowns. "He's dead, isn't he?" Kan asks. "You said the ice would go away if he died, and it's gone, so-"

"Mylo has passed away, unfortunately," Nero says.

"And the man chasing him?"

"Johana defeated him."

"Where is Johana now?"

"She's with Mylo's body right now. I told her that I'd grab the arrow so we could leave."

Kan shoves past Nero and grabs the arrow by its head. "Let's get out of here, Johana shouldn't be alone right now," she says.

As Kan and Nero leave the incinerator room, a drop of blood falls from Kan's finger and falls on the wet floor.

Johana leans down and closes Mylo's eyes. She sighs. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," she says. "The man who killed you, I broke every bone in his body. He won't hurt anyone else for a long time."

Out of the corner of her eye, Johana spots something shiny by Mylo's foot. She reaches down and picks up a silver bracelet with a small red gem in its center. Johana glances at Mylo's foot. Two small holes dot his ankle.

Slowly, Johana puts the bracelet on her wrist. Two metal spikes emerge from within the bracelet, stabbing into Johana's wrist. Johana screams and summons her Stand, who punches a wall before disappearing. Johana stumbles back and attempts to rip the bracelet off, to no avail. The spikes are lodged too deep, making it impossible to remove without damaging her wrist.

Johana hears a cellphone ringtone. She looks at the wall, at the hole in the drywall created by her Stand. An old flip-phone sits within the wall, ringing. Slowly, Johana grabs the phone and opens it.

"Miss Joestar, how nice of you to pick up," the voice on the other line says. "May I call you Johana?"

The voice on the other line unnerves Johana. It doesn't sound like the voice of a human. Rather, it sounds like a crowd of people all talking at once, their voices echoing and mixing together into a chaotic cacophony.

"Who is this?" Johana says.

"Someone very interested in the events of the past night, Johana," the voice says. "Tell me, were you afraid when Mr. Burnham ripped you out the window? Or were you calm as you soared through the air, because you knew that you would be the victor?"

Johana doesn't respond. "Rest assured, Johana, your victory was not a fluke. From the moment that battle began, there was only one possible winner," the voice continues. "Not because you were stronger, or more intelligent, but because fate declared that you would be victorious. Just as fate decreed that Mylo Xyloto would die at the hands of Mr. Burnham, it demanded that you survive this ordeal."

Johana clenches her fist. "I'm going to ask you again, and I expect to get an actual answer this time," she says. "Who. Are. You?"

"Forgive my rudeness, Johana," the voice says. "You can call me Woodstock."

"Woodstock?" Johana repeats, flashing back to the things Mr. Burnham said before killing Mylo. "You're the one who gave Mylo this bracelet, right?"

"Admittedly, that could have gone a bit smoother. He forced me away before I could explain the significance of that bracelet to him."

"What do you mean, forced you away?"

"Normally, when I bestow a Stand upon someone, it takes a few hours for it to fully manifest. Mylo's, on the other hand, materialized almost instantly. My fingers froze together as I placed the tracker bracelet on his ankle, leaving me unable to retrieve my arrow."

"You're the one who shot Mylo?"

"Correct."

"Why? Why did you force him into this madness? What did he do to you?"

"I didn't give Mylo a Stand out of some petty revenge, Johana," Woodstock says. "I gave it to him to see if he was worthy. As it turns out, he wasn't."

"We won't let you get the arrow back," Johana says. "No one else is going to suffer for your entertainment."

"If I needed the arrow, there wouldn't be anything you could do to keep me from taking it. Fortunately, I have already created more than enough Stand Users for what comes next."

"What comes next?"

"War. Not literal war, of course, but something close enough for our purposes. Soon, the Stand Users in this city will begin hunting one another. That bracelet, the one that was around Mylo's ankle and now is now embedded in your wrist, it is more than just a piece of pretty jewelry. It's a tracking device. I distributed them to each of the Stand Users I created or found. Using these trackers, I am able to pit Stand Users against one another and see who comes out on top. For example, I sent Mr. Burnham to that hospital tonight so he could fight Mylo Xyloto."

"I don't understand. Why would people kill one another just because you tell them to?"

"I envy your naivety, Johana. Violence exists at the center of man's heart. All these people need is a little push."

"What kind of push?"

"The promise of power. I possess a method of unlocking a Stand's full potential, a way to turn even the weakest Stands into unbeatable warriors. Most people would kill for that kind of power. Take Mr. Burnham, for example. Three months ago, he was a timid office temp with anger issues and mood swings. I gave him a Stand and he transformed into the man you met tonight. He robbed banks, he killed those who wronged him, he flew through the air with a power most people dream of, and still he wanted more. I told him I'd strengthen his Stand if he killed a few Stand Users and brought their bracelets back as proof. You know the rest.

"Why are you doing this?"

"To find the strongest Stand User in London. To find the individual fate has chosen to win. To give the power of God to someone worthy of its might."

Johana rolls her eyes. "Have fun with your little death game, Woody," she says. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go back to not having my life threatened every three minutes."

"If only it was that simple, Johana," Woodstock says. "You put on Mylo's bracelet. You're a part of this now."

"Like hell I am!" Johana shouts. "I don't care about Stands, or power, or your stupid little game. I just want to go back to my normal life."

"You can run away, if you'd like. It won't end well for you, though. I told my Stand Users that I'd give share the secret to unlocking a Stand's ultimate potential to the one that brought me all of the bracelets. The spikes in that bracelet won't retract as long as you breathe. Best to try and win, rather than die while running away."

"I've heard enough," Johana says before snapping the phone in half.

Kan and Nero walk over, carrying the arrow with them. Johana glances over at Mylo's body and sighs. "Let's get out of here," she says.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 11: Guns N' Roses, Part 1


	11. Chapter 11: Guns N' Roses, Part 1

**Chapter 11: Guns N' Roses, Part 1**

A woman wearing a red and green outfit walks up to the entrance of the hospital. The door is covered in police tape, which she tears down without a second thought. Her name is Vuitton. A silver bracelet, a gift from the person who gave her a Stand, covers her wrist.

The first floor of the hospital is deserted; the patients were evacuated after the mysterious ice incident. She stalks through the hospital, eventually making her way to the second floor. There she finds a hallway covered in blood and burn marks, remnants of a Stand battle.

Vuitton leans down and touches the blood. It's still wet. A policeman in a bright vest walks up to Vuitton. "You can't be here, ma'am," he says. "The hospital had some sort of gas leak that knocked out most of the patients and killed the rest. We're evacuating patients and sending them to another hospital-"

Vuitton moves in an instant, bursting from the floor and jabbing her thumb in the policeman's eye. She rips her hand back, leaving her thumb lodged in the man's skull, connected to her only by a long wire leading to her knuckle.

Inside the policeman's skull, the thumb grows, digging deep into the policeman's brain. He screams for help, but no one comes. Before long, the thumb has burrowed deep into his brain, killing him.

A metal sunflower grows from the policeman's skull. Vuitton plucks the flower and points it at the burns. The sunflower spins, analyzing the crime scene. After a few minutes, the sunflower projects a hologram of Mr. Burnham impaled on Mylo's icicle spears.

Vuitton moves on and scans the bloodstain, creating a hologram of Mylo's corpse. She scans the broken window and creates a hologram of Johana's Stand grabbing her hair. Vuitton continues through the hospital, analyzing Johana's fight with Mr. Burnham.

Vuitton's analysis brings her to the roof. Mr. Burnham still lies there, unconscious. Vuitton reaches down and places her hands on his throat, strangling him. The spikes on Mr. Burnham's bracelet retract as he dies.

_Mr. Burnham - Age 37 - Deceased_

Vuitton picks up Mr. Burham's bracelet and places it on her arm, bringing her collection of bracelets to two. "And then there were twelve," she says.

Vuitton jams her pinky in Mr. Burnham's chest and grows a laptop. She connects the sunflower scanner to the laptop, importing the data on Mr. Burnham's fight. The laptop runs a facial ID program, identifying the woman who defeated Burnham to be Johana Joestar, a 19-year-old student and Lonely Castle University.

Vuitton places her hand on the sunflower and it transforms back into her thumb. She does the same to the laptop, returning her pinky. Vuitton jams her pointer finger in Mr. Burnham's corpse. A large, turnip shaped helicopter grows from Mr. Burnham's corpse.

"Are you sure that there isn't another way to get this thing off my arm?" Johana asks.

"I am not a doctor, but it appears to be pretty deeply embedded. It would take a master surgeon to remove it," Nero says. "The Speedwagon Foundation is our best hope for removing it."

"Can't you just destroy it with your Stand?"

"Deteriorating a piece of metal completely would take hours, during which you'd have pointy pieces of rusty metal stabbing into your arteries. I can take it off, but you'd lose your arm in the process."

Johana groans. Nero, Kan, and her sit in Johana's dorm room, trying to figure out what to do about Woodstock's threats. "I have to get the arrow to the Speedwagon Foundation anyway, why don't you come with me? Leave the country until this whole thing blows over?" Nero says.

"I'm not going back to the Speedwagon Foundation, Nero," Johana says.

Kan sits on her bed, struggling to pay attention to Johana and Nero's conversation. Sweat drips down her face. She takes a shallow breath before coughing. She looks at her hand. The cut on her finger is black and covered in puss.

"Johana, our family isn't evil," Nero says.

"I don't care. I swore I'd never see them again, and I don't intend to go back on my word," Johana says.

"That isn't a solution, JoJo. If Woodstock is to be believed, powerful Stand Users will come for you as long as that bracelet is stuck around your wrist. I know you hate our family because of the fighting, but staying here isn't a good way to escape violence."

"I'll figure something out on my own, like I always do. I don't need the Speedwagon foundation's help to get out of this."

Suddenly, Kan collapses. Johana runs over to her friend. "Kan!" she shouts. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired," Kan mutters.

Johana lifts Kan up and places her on the bed. She places her hand on Kan's forehead. "You have a fever," she says.

"Do you think this has anything to do with me fainting yesterday?" Kan says.

Nero shakes his head. "No, that was the result of Rabbit James's Stand," he says. "You could just be tired, due to your stressful stay at the hospital."

"No, she looks pale and is sweating buckets. This is more than simple sleep deprivation," Johana says.

"The flu, perhaps?" Nero says.

Without warning, Nero jumps through the air and jabs Kan in the diaphragm with his pinky finger. Kan gasps for air. Johana grabs Nero and pulls him away from Kan. "What the hell, Nero?" she yells.

"Don't act surprised, dear JoJo. Surely you remember Grandpa Joe doing the same thing to us when we were children?" Nero says with a smile.

He turns to face Kan. "Miss Nijimura, this is a special technique passed down through Johana and my family," he says. "When executed properly, it allows us to unlock someone's innate healing abilities. It may hurt at first, but your flu should disappear in a moment. Now then, how do you feel?"

"I feel like you broke a rib," Kan wheezes.

Nero laughs awkwardly. "Admittedly, I've never actually managed to pull off that technique properly," he says. "Forgive me for using you as a guinea pig."

"And you wonder why I don't want to spend time with you guys," Johana says.

Kan coughs again and looks at her finger. "I think I cut my finger at the hospital," she says while holding up her hand. "Do you think it might have gotten infected, and that's why I feel sick?"

Johana examines Kan's finger. "It looks really bad, Kan," she says. "I don't think this level of infection could have occurred in only a few hours."

"Perhaps it's the work of an enemy Stand," Nero says.

Johana ignores him. "Kan, what did you cut yourself on?" she asks.

"The arrow, I think," Kan says.

Johana turns pale. She looks at Nero. He's stopped smiling. Johana gulps and summons her Stand. "Kan, do you see anything out of the ordinary?" she asks.

"Cool sunglasses," Kan mutters before passing out.

Johana grabs Kan and tries to wake her up. "What's wrong with her?" Johana yells.

"If she was cut by the arrow, she's awakened a Stand," Nero says. "Stands are made out of psychic energy. If someone pierced by one of the arrows is weak, it is possible that the strain of summoning a Stand will make them ill or even…"

"Even what?" Johana asks.

Nero gulps. "Even kill them," he says.

"The Speedwagon Foundation, they have good doctors, right? Doctors who are trained for this kind of thing?"

"Yes-"

"Then we're going to the Speedwagon Foundation."

"I thought you said you'd never go back."

"Shut up and call the people you need to call."

Johana pulls a bag out from under her bed and starts stuffing it full of clothes. Meanwhile, Nero calls the duo's grandfather, asking him to get them a flight to New York and prepare the Speedwagon Foundation doctors for Kan's arrival. In the back of her dresser, Johana finds a black hat with a golden star on the front. Sighing, she puts it in her bag.

From outside, Johana and Nero hear the sound of barking dogs. "What do you think has them spooked?" Nero says.

"Focus," Johana says. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Perhaps. On the other hand, it may be the work of an enemy Stand."

"Do you think that everything is the work of an enemy Stand?"

Suddenly, the barking stops. "That's odd," Nero says.

Johana groans and grabs a purple raincoat. "I'll go check it out, if it worries you so much," she says. "Keep an eye on Kan."

Let's go back five minutes. Vuitton's radish helicopter landed at Lonely Castle university. She stepped out of the helicopter and tapped it. The helicopter shrunk down and reattached itself to her knuckle, returning her pointer finger.

Vuitton walked through campus, approaching Johana's dorm building. As she stares at the building, it begins raining. "Isn't that just unlucky," a voice says.

Vuitton turns to see a student holding six leashes. Six dogs, varying in breed and size, tug on the leashes. The man struggles to hold them back. "Sorry about these guys, they can be a little too friendly," he says. "Don't worry, they don't bite."

"You're wrong," Vuitton says.

"No, really, they're fine."

"Not about the dogs, about things being unlucky. Things are going very fortunately right now."

Johana steps out into the rain. A hundred meters away, Vuitton sits, surrounded by the corpses of half a dozen dead dogs. Two of her fingers are planted, one in the largest of the dogs and one in the dogwalker.

The seeds planted by Vuitton grow, transforming into a pair of Gatling guns. As soon as Johana steps out, Vuitton opens fire.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 12: Guns N' Roses, Part 2

**STAND ****STATS**

Name: Guns N' Roses

Dub Name: Bullet Flower

User: Louis Vuitton

Namesake: "Guns N' Roses" (American Rock Band)

Appearance: Guns N' Roses is bound to Vuitton's fingers, which are red and made of metal. The machines built by Guns N' Roses vary in appearance.

Abilities: Guns N' Roses is a Bound Stand tied to Vuitton's fingers. When one of her fingers is jammed into a human or animal, Vuitton's finger partially separates, turning into a seed connected to Vuitton by a long wire. These seeds grow into machines designed to help Vuitton, often killing their host in the process. Vuitton can grow scanners, weaponry, tracking devices, vehicles, explosives, hacking devices, and anything else she wishes. The amount of time required to grow a machine is dependent on its complexity. Vuitton can reobtain her fingers by placing her knuckles on her machines.

Stats: Power-N/A, Speed-N/A, Range: A, Durability-N/A, Precision-N/A, Potential-A


	12. Chapter 12: Guns N' Roses, Part 2

**Chapter 12: Guns N' Roses, Part 2**

The Gatling guns roar as a flurry of bullets rips through the air, flying towards Johana. By the time Johana spots Vuitton's guns, it's already too late. She doesn't have time to dodge. Instinctively, she pulls her coat over her torso to block the bullets. Without thinking, Johana floods her coat with Hamon energy. The energy hardens the coat, making it as tough as steel and saving Johana's life, if only briefly.

Johana's Stand grabs her by the shoulder and rips her back, pulling her back into the building's lobby. Johana dives for cover. She doesn't know what's going on but knows she'll die if she doesn't hide. The Gatling guns continue firing, shredding everything in the lobby.

Outside, Vuitton stabs a finger in another dog. A metal cactus grows from the dog's corpse, with a small red button located on its trunk. Vuitton taps the button and the branches of the cactus launch like rockets, transforming into missiles and flying at the dorm building. The missiles burst through the windows and explode, filling the first floor of the dorm building with fire.

"Boom," Vuitton says.

Vuitton turns off her guns and grabs the only dog she hasn't touched yet. She plants a finger in the dog's stomach and grows a strange machine resembling a cabbage. Wires grow out of the cabbage and connect to Vuitton's bracelet, hacking into it. A holographic screen projects out from the cabbage, showing a series of names and locations.

"I blew her up, but her tracker is still detecting a heartbeat?" Vuitton mutters to herself. "She must be tougher than she looks."

Vuitton walks over to the fourth dog and stabs a finger into its eye. The metal seed spreads through the dog, attaching mechanical parts to its veins and nervous system. The dead dog, brought back to life through cybernetics, stands up and snarls at Vuitton.

Vuitton places her hand on the dog's head. "Shhhhh," she whispers. "Don't growl at me, growl at the Joestar girl."

The cyborg dog takes off, bolting of the dormitory. The wire leading back to Vuitton grows longer and longer, becoming taught as the dog moves farther and farther away. The dog leaps through a window into the dormitory.

The dog sniffs around, searching for Johana. It walks up to a singed elevator and barks. "So that's how you survived," Vuitton mutters to herself. "You forced the elevator open and hid in it to escape the blast."

The dog presses its head up to the elevator. Slowly, its head splits open, revealing a large drill. The dog jabs its drill into the elevator door and activates it. Slowly, the drill begins forcing open the elevator doors.

Johana's Stand rips the elevator door open. It slams its fist down on the dog, destroying it instantly. "Got you now," Vuitton says as she reactivates her guns.

Johana's Stand grabs the wire connecting the cyborg dog to Vuitton and rips back. The force of this pull knocks Vuitton off balance. Johana's Stand keeps pulling, dragging Vuitton towards the dormitory. Vuitton's machines are pulled along with her, throwing off their aim.

Vuitton looks at her hand. The two gatling guns, the hacking device, the missile launcher, and the cyborg dog were all grown using the five fingers on her left hand. The only way for Vuitton to stop herself from being pulled into close-range with a powerful close-range Stand is to cut off her hand, losing her connection to her current machines in the process.

Using all of her strength, Vuitton pulls her arm back enough to bite it. She slams her teeth down on her wrist, severing her left hand. Vuitton lands right outside the dormitory window.

Johana crawls out of the elevator and walks over to Vuitton. "Who are you?" she shouts.

"My name...is Vuitton," Vuitton says, blood dripping down her chin. "I'm a Stand User created by Woodstock."

"You're here for the bracelet, I presume?" Johana asks.

"That's right, Vuitton says while reaching for her leg with her right hand.

Unbeknownst to Johana, a pair of small dogs have been strapped to Vuitton's legs. Extra meat, kept for this very occasion. Vuitton places her finger in the dog's mouth and quickly grows a pistol.

Vuitton draws the gun and fires, hitting Johana in the shoulder.

Up in Johana's dorm room, Nero and Kan lie on the ground. Nero forced the two down as soon as he heard gunshots and explosions. "I think Johana's in trouble," Kan says, barely conscious.

"I know, but she asked me to keep you safe," Nero says.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nero spots a large egg. A circular pattern, resembling a ring of fire, wraps around the egg. "That's new," Nero says.

Johana jumps back as Vuitton fires a series of gunshots. She floods her raincoat with Hamon again, trying to use it as body armor. Unfortunately, Vuitton shoots her in the thigh, an area unprotected by the raincoat.

Johana's Stand roars and begins spinning its armbands, creating that trademark jet engine noise. The Stand slams its fists down on the floor, creating a large hole that Johana falls through.

Vuitton looks down through the hole, into a deserted laundry room. "Running away? I guess that means you're weaker than I thought," she says.

Vuitton jumps after Johana. She scans the laundry room, searching for Johana. Then she hears it, a rumbling sound coming from within a closet. "You know, I'd recommend turning off those revolver things while you're hiding," Vuitton says before unloading the pistol into the closet.

After the rumbling stops, Vuitton kicks the door down. She expects to find Johana Joestar. Instead, she finds the drum of a washing machine. Vuitton turns around just in time to see Johana burst from with a washing machine and charge at her.

Johana's Stand activates its wristbands and slams its fist into Vuitton. The force of the blow knocks Vuitton into a wall. The force of this impact breaks Vuitton's gun. "I knew you'd unload that gun as soon as you thought you had a good shot, so I ripped out that drum and filled it with rotational energy, knowing you'd mistake it for the sound my Stand makes when it powers up!" Johana shouts.

Vuitton clutches her stomach. Her skin is twisted into a knot. She has a feeling that her internals are even worse. Vuitton places her finger into the remains of the dog she used to grow the pistol and begins growing a new gun.

Johana's Stand bursts forward and smashes the dog corpse, destroying one of Vuitton's fingers in the process. Vuitton, having only three fingers and one small dog remaining, reaches for the dog on her other leg. Johana's Stand smashes that one too.

Johana's Stand grabs Vuitton by the throat and lifts her into the air. "It's over, Vuitton," Johana says. "Your Stand seems to require dead animals to create new weapons, and I've smashed all of them to pieces.

"Not all of them!" Vuitton shouts as she jabs a finger into her own hand.

Vuitton screams as the seed grows out of her arm, creating a series of metal tentacles that wrap around Johana's throat. "One finger left," Vuitton mutters as she stabs her last finger into the stump on her left arm.

The final seed transforms Vuitton's stump into a shotgun. "If I'm dying, you're coming with me!" Vuitton shouts.

Johana's Stand punches the tentacles, filling them with rotational energy. The energy spreads to Vuitton's hand, causing Vuitton to rotate her wrist. This twist of her wrist pulls on the shotgun, turning it back to Vuitton's head. Vuitton fires, covering the wall in a splatter of red. Vuitton and Mr. Burnham's bracelets fall off, landing on the laundry room floor.

_Louis Vuitton - Age 26 - Deceased_

Johana walks back to her dorm room. "Did you get the travel accommodations handled?" she asks.

"Are you okay?" Nero asks. "I heard gunshots, and you're covered in blood!"

"I asked if you had the travel accommodations handled," Johana says, monotone.

"Johana, what happened?"

"I killed a woman, that's what happened. Do you have the goddamn travel accommodations handled, or do I have to do it myself?" Johana screams.

Nero stares at Johana. "We have a flight leaving in three hours," he mutters.

Johana glances at Kan, who lies on her bed hugging the egg. "What's with the egg?" she asks.

"I think it's her Stand," Nero says.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Chapter 13: Go Greased Lightning! Part 1


	13. Chapter 13: Go Greased Lightning, Part 1

**Chapter 13:**

**Go Greased Lightning! Part 1**

A beat-up car pulls into the campus parking lot. Its driver, a freshman wearing a sweater vest, lays his head on the steering wheel and groans. 9:00 AM is far too early for any person to get up for class. A large hand knocks on his window. He turns his head and sees a tall man wearing a black beanie, a man named Nero Zeppeli.

"Hello there, would you mind selling me this car?" Nero asks.

"I'm sorry, what?" the student in the sweater vest asks.

"Your car, I would like to buy it," Nero repeats.

The student sighs. "Look, it's early, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, I'm not in the mood for some stupid prank," he says.

"This is not a prank. I need a car and do not have the time necessary to acquire one, so I would like to buy this one."

"I need it to get home from class this afternoon."

"I will pay you more than enough for you to take a taxi home tonight and buy a new car this weekend," Nero says while reaching into his pocket.

Nero sets a large wad of fifty pound banknotes down on the student's windshield. "It is very important that you sell me this car," he says.

"Okay, you're serious," the student says. "Don't know why you'd want it, it's kinda a piece of crap."

Nero places two more wads of cash on the windshield. The student rushes out of his car, hands Nero the keys, and heads off to class. Johana walks out from behind a tree. Kan leans over her shoulder, barely conscious. Johana's Stand begrudgingly carries the egg.

"Where'd you get all of that money?" she asks as she approaches Nero.

"The Speedwagon Foundation gave me a large budget for expenses before I came here," Nero says.

Nero opens the passenger side door of the car and sits down. After a moment of confusion, he notices the steering wheel in the seat next to him and slides over. Johana opens the helps Kan into the backseat of the car, locking her and the egg in using seat belts. Nero pulls out of the parking lot and begins driving to the airport.

"Remind me again why we couldn't have just taken a taxi, like we did when we came home from the hospital?" Johana asks.

"Vuitton attacked us less than an hour after we left the hospital. Until we get back to New York, we should consider anyone we encounter to be a possible Stand User," Nero says. "Hailing a taxi would just put an innocent civilian in danger."

"I suppose that makes sense," Johana says.

She opens the glove compartment and starts looking for something thin, long, and sturdy. She pulls out two chopsticks, remnants of a takeout dinner ate on the way to class. Johana jabs the chopsticks into her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Nero asks, unfazed.

"I got shot earlier," Johana says. "I'd rather not go through airport security covered in blood with a bullet in my shoulder."

"Would it not be better to go to a hospital?"

"Like you said, people around us are in danger right now. I really don't want to destroy a second hospital in less than 24 hours."

Nero takes a turn far too fast, slamming Johana's head into her window in the process. "What the shit, Nero?" she yells.

"Sorry JoJo, I may have taken that turn a bit quick," Nero says.

"Did you even slow down?"

"I slowed down a little," Nero mumbles.

Johana glances at her shoulder. The chopsticks are broken in half, with their ends still lodged inside Johana's wound. Johana grits her teeth and rips the chopsticks out, bringing the bullet and more than a few drops of blood with them.

Johana places her hand on the wound, applying pressure, and takes a deep breath. Hamon energy spreads through her body, strengthening her natural healing process and closing the wound. Johana wipes her bloody hand on her seat.

Nero pulls to a stop at a stoplight. An old convertible pulls up next to Nero. Its driver, a young man in a leather jacket, revs the car's engine. "I believe that gentleman is challenging me to a drag race," Nero says.

"Focus on getting us to the airport," Johana says.

Nero turns left, leaving the convertible behind. Johana reaches into her pocket and pulls out a smartphone. She turns it on, revealing a four-digit lock screen. "What is that?" Nero asks.

"It's Vuitton's," Johana says. "I grabbed after she...how should I phrase this-"

"Accidently blew her brains out using her cybernetic shotgun arm?"

"Yeah, after that. I grabbed it, hoping I'd be able to find out more information on Woodstock and the other Stand Users after us," Johana says. "Unfortunately, it needs a password."

"Try typing 1234," Nero says.

"Her password isn't going to be 1234."

"My password is 1234."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Johana says as she types in Nero's suggestion.

The phone unlocks. Johana rolls her eyes and looks through the files stored on the phone. She opens up a directory of text files. "Jackpot," she says.

"What?" Nero asks.

"It seems that Vuitton investigated Woodstock and all of the other Stand Users before deciding to come after me.

"I suppose that means she considered you to be the smallest threat," Nero says.

Johana ignores him. "According to these files, Woodstock made fifteen of these bracelets and distributed fourteen of them. That means there are eleven Stand Users out there gunning for us," she says.

"What does it say about Woodstock?"

"Nothing, other than the fact that he shot Vuitton and has a Stand called Love's Requiem. Vuitton didn't know what it can do, though. She just wrote that it's powerful."

"That phone has information of the Stands we're up against?"

"Yep, want me to read them off?"

"I would like that very much, JoJo."

"Mylo Xyloto, wielder of an unnamed Stand Vuitton codenamed Coldplay, Max Burnham, wielder of a Stand called Deep, and Vuitton herself, who wielded a Stand she called Guns N' Roses, are all dead," Johana says. "Still remaining are Stefani Germanotta, wielder of a defensive Stand called Iron Maiden, Kelly Zuko, wielder of a phenomena Stand called Greased Lightning, Pink Floyd, wielder of an unknown Stand, Sydney Young, wielder of an electricity manipulation Stand called Thunderstruck, Fleetwood McVie, wielder of-"

"Fleetwood Mac wields a close-range Stand called Eye of the Tiger," Nero interjects.

"That's...correct," Johana says, confused.

"I've met a lot of different Stand Users while working for the Speedwagon Foundation. Fleetwood has helped us take out some dangerous Stand Users in the past," Nero says. "Woodstock said he didn't create all of his Stand Users, right? He said he found some of them. Fleetwood falls into that second category."

"How dangerous is this Fleetwood guy?" Johana asks.

"He is strong, but he is not a bad person. We may be able to convince him to let us go in the event of a fight. The same goes for many of the other Stand Users I know. Keep reading, there may be some friends of mine left on that list."

"Stan Mathers, wielder of Slim Shady?"

"I have not met him."

"Sandra Dee, wielder of Summer Nights?

"She is an archeologist who has worked with the Foundation in the past. We can trust her."

"Luther Campbell, wielder of an unknown Stand?"

"I have not met him, but I do know of him. He is a crime lord. The Foundation has suspected that he is a Stand user for a long time, but none of the people we have sent to investigate have lived to tell the tale."

"One more reason to get out of London as soon as possible, I suppose. Do you know an Eleanor Rigby, wielder of a Stand called Defying Gravity?"

"No."

"What about a Kaiser Stroheim, wielder of an unknown but powerful Stand?"

"I do not, but the name seems familiar. I shall ask Grandpa Joe when we arrive in New York," Nero says.

Johana scrolls down to the last file on the list, a file on a person she knows far too much about. "I guess I don't need to ask if you know Bethany Leadbelly, do I?" Johana says.

"I do, unfortunately," Nero says softly.

The two drive in silence for a few more minutes. Nero keeps his foot planted firmly on the gas pedal, ignoring the speed limit and weaving between cars as he rushes to the airport. He comes to a red light and slams his foot on the breaks. Instead of stopping, the car keeps going, bursting through the red light into the intersection.

A large truck rushes through the intersection, almost slamming into Nero's car. Nero keeps pressing down on the brake pedal, trying desperately to stop the car. He summons his Stand in front of the car. His Stand, Viva La Vida, grabs the car's bumper, digs its heels into the ground, and forces the car to a stop.

The sudden stop of the car throws all three of its passengers forward. Johana and Nero slam their faces into the dashboard. Kan slams her head into the back of Johana's chair. After a moment of grogginess, Johana smacks Nero. "What the hell was that?" she yells.

"The brakes stopped working," Nero says. "I believe that this is the work of an enemy Stand User."

"Or, and hear me out, the car's brakes are shitty because you bought a broken piece of garbage without making sure it worked," Johana snaps.

"That is a possibility, yes," Nero says.

Johana hears a groan coming from the backseat. She looks over her shoulder to see Kan clutching her forehead. "What happened?" Kan mutters.

"Nero ran a red light and almost killed us," Johana says.

"I told you, the brakes aren't working," Nero says.

"What's going on?" Kan asks.

"You cut yourself on the arrow, so you have a Stand now," Nero says. "Unfortunately, you lack the fighting spirit necessary to control it, so your Stand is slowly killing you."

"That isn't good," Kan mumbles.

"Don't worry. We're going to get you to someone who can help you," Johana says. "All you need to do is sit back and let us protect you."

A storm of honking surrounds the car. Nero laughs nervously and starts driving again. "What are you doing?" Johana asks.

"I was holding up traffic and the other drivers started honking," Nero says. "I don't want to be rude."

"Nero, you had to use your Stand to stop the car ten seconds ago because the brakes weren't working," Johana says.

"It is fine," Nero says. "I will use Viva to stop the car if-"

Nero spots something out of the corner of his eye and goes silent. "That car is back," he says.

"What car?"

"The convertible whose driver challenged me to a drag race, it is following us," Nero says while looking in his rearview mirror.

"Step on it," Johana says.

"But the brakes-"

"If they're following us, they're an enemy Stand User. We need to get out of here before he attacks."

"Right," Nero says before slamming on the gas.

Nero speeds through London, pursued by the man in the convertible. "What can I do to help?" Kan asks.

"Sit there and stay safe," Johana says. "If a fight breaks out, I need you to run, okay?"

Nero makes a sharp right turn, steering into the convertible's blindspot. He continues making random turns, trying to give the enemy driver the slip. He comes across a busy intersection and slams on the breaks. Once again, his car refuses to slow down.

As he plows through the intersection, Nero spots the convertible in another lane. The convertible stays on his tail. The two cars come across another intersection.

The man in the convertible raises his arm, revealing a black, fingerless glove emblazoned with a red lightning bolt. He snaps his fingers and a bolt of lightning shoots out of his hand, striking the intersection. Instead of relying on his brakes, Nero speeds up, flying through the intersection before a car can hit him.

"I think I know what is going on," Nero says. "The man in that convertible, he is able to make the road as slippery as ice by snapping his fingers."

The two cars come against another intersection. The man in the convertible greases the road again. Nero summons his Stand. Viva La Vida grabs onto the car and a nearby streetlamp. The Stand pulls, forcing the car to make a last-minute turn.

As the convertible flies through the intersection, leaving Nero's car behind, the man in the leather jacket fires a grease bolt at Nero's tires. Nero's car spins out of control into a public square containing two large fountains. Civilians run in terror as the spinning car charges towards a large pillar holding up an oversized glass bottle.

Nero climbs onto the hood of the car and summons his Stand. "VIVAVIVAVIVAVIVA!" he shouts as his Stand tears into the car, decaying its wheels until only the axels remain. The axels dig into the asphalt and slow the car to a stop.

Nero hops off the hood of the car. Johana walks over to him. "How many of those bundles of cash did Grandpa Joe give you?" she asks.

"Enough to get another car," Nero says with a smile.

The convertible comes out of nowhere, flying through the square at Johana and Nero. Johana shoves Nero out of the way, saving him from being run down by the convertible. Unfortunately, Johana isn't so lucky.

"Machine Gun" Kelly Zuko hops out of his car and looks down at Johana. She lies unconscious behind the convertible. Her bracelet remains on her arm, signifying that she hasn't perished yet.

"Shame," Machine Gun Kelly says. "I was hoping your death would be quick."

To Be Continued In:

Chapter 13: Go Greased Lightning! Part 2


	14. Chapter 14: Go Greased Lightning, Part 2

**Chapter 14: Go Greased Lightning! Part 2**

A young man in a leather jacket stands over Johana. She lies on the ground next to an old convertible, unconscious. The duo are in the middle of a public square, right next to a pair of large fountains. He slams his foot down on Johana's throat.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way," the man says.

He feels a tap on his shoulder and turns around to see Nero Zeppeli standing behind him, arms crossed. "Hello," Nero says.

In an instant, Nero summons his Stand, a large crystalline man named Viva La Vida. Viva La Vida punches the man in the jacket in the stomach, sending him flying into one of the fountains.

Kan runs over to Nero and Johana. Nero leans down and places his hand on Johana's neck. "She is merely unconscious, he says after feeling a heartbeat.

"She was hit by a car," Kan says.

"Yes, but she is a Joestar. We're a tough bunch."

Nero turns back to the fountain. The man in the leather jacket crawls out and wipes the water from his chest. "I'll get Johana out of here while you deal with this guy," Kan says.

Nero shakes his head. "No, you can barely stand," he says. "Involving yourself in this will only lead to your demise, an event that would result in Johana hating me for the rest of her days. You should run away and let me handle this."

"Please, let me do this," Kan says.

Nero sighs. "Fine," he says.

Kan grabs Johana by the shoulder and begins dragging her away. Nero cracks his knuckles. He points at the man in the leather jacket. "You are one of the Stand Users Woodstock created, I presume?" he says. "Would you mind telling me your name?"

The man takes off his jacket and shakes it out. "My friends call me Machine Gun Kelly," he says. "I'm here for the bracelet around that girl's arm."

"I assumed as much. Unfortunately, I care about Johana and would prefer if you didn't kill her."

"Guess we're at an impasse then."

"Yes, I suppose we are."

Suddenly, Machine Gun Kelly reaches into his coat and grabs a metal nail. He zaps it with his red lightning and throws it at Nero like a dagger. Nero tries to grab the nail but it slips through his fingers and flies through his ear.

"My Stand gives me the ability to make things slippery," Kelly says. "These nails don't get slowed down by air resistance and slip through any attempt to block them."

Kelly throws two more nails, striking Nero in the shoulder. Ner grits his teeth and charges at Kelly, shrugging off the nails that strike him.

Machine Gun Kelly zaps the ground beneath Nero's feet. Nero slips, landing on his chest. As Nero crawls back to his feet, Kelly zaps his boots, making their soles as slippery as butter. Using his slippery shoes like skates, Kelly quickly moves around Nero in a circle, throwing nail after nail at him.

Nero lunges at Kelly and slams his the ground with his Stand, narrowly missing Kelly. Kelly throws another nail, and another, and another, dodging Nero's strikes and turning him into a pincushion. Every time Nero tries to catch a nail it slips through his fingers and stabs into him.

Before long, Nero looks like an acupuncture patient. He falls to his knees. "It's over," Kelly says while skating circles around Nero.

"You are correct, but for the wrong reasons," Nero says.

Kelly skates over a rough patch and slips, crashing face first into the concrete. Nero charges at him, ripping out the nails as he runs. "You see, Mr. Zuko, I used my Stand to decay part of the ground, making it uneven, hoping that you would skate over it and trip!" Nero shouts.

Nero jumps and strikes at Kelly with his Stand. Kelly rolls out of the way and fires a grease bolt at Nero. Kelly kicks Nero in the leg, knocking him over, and crawls away.

Nero starts to stand up, but slips and lands on his chest. He tries to push himself up with his hands, but his palms slip away. No matter how hard he tries, Nero can't get up again.

"Don't worry, the effect of my Stand will wear off in a few minutes," Kelly says.

Viva La Vida flies forward and swings at Kelly. Its fist lands a few inches away from Kelly's face. Kelly smiles. "I guess that's the limit of your Stand's range," he says before walking away.

"I'm not done yet!" Nero shouts.

"Listen, you aren't my target. I don't have any reason to kill you. Just be thankful I'm letting you live."

Kelly skates away. Kan hasn't gotten far during the time Nero and Machine Gun Kelly fought; her illness and the fact that she's dragging Johana have slowed her down immensely. "Howdy," Kelly says as he catches up with Kan.

Kan sets Johana down and raises her fists. "If you want to get to Johana, you'll have to get through me," she says.

Kelly looks Kan over and laughs. "Yeah, I don't think that'll be a problem. Your skin's pale, your eyes are red, and you're hunched over like someone who can barely stand," he says. "Do you even have a Stand?"

"I'm not going to let you hurt Johana."

"No, you don't have a Stand. If you did, you'd have summoned it by now."

"I'm warning you, if you take another step forward, it won't end well for you."

Kelly takes a step forward and pulls a nail from his pocket. "Bluffing isn't your strong suit," he says. "You can't stop me and are only pretending you can so I'll run away. Look, I'll feel bad if I kill someone who can't fight back. Run away while you can."

"No! I'm not running away!" Kan shouts. "Johana, she's wonderful. She's saved my life time and time again. I can't just let you kill her without trying to stop you."

Kelly shrugs. "Suit yourself," he says before throwing the nail.

The nail soars through the air. In an instant, it reaches Kan. It strikes her in the forehead and emerges from the other side of her skull.

"What the hell?" Kelly says.

A small circle of fire covers Kan's forehead. Through it, Kelly can see behind Kan. Kan raises her hand and pokes her finger through the circle; it comes out on the other side of her head.

"That's cool," Kan says.

Back in the broken down car, Kan's egg has hatched, growing into a real Stand. A black and white hummingbird flies out of the car and lands on Kan's shoulder.

The hummingbird is small enough to fit in Kan's hand. The bird has black and white feathers. Infinity symbols lie within its eyes. A chain necklace full of small keys hangs from its neck.

Kan glances at the bird and her heart melts. "Oh my god, you're adorable!" she says. "You're like a little Pokemon! I just want to give you a little hug!"

The bird chirps and rubs its head against Kan's neck. Kan glances up at the circle on her forehead. "You have wormhole powers and used them to save me, didn't you?" she says. "You're a good little birdie."

Kelly scratches his chin. "I guess you do have a Stand," he says.

Kan smiles. Her sickness has faded and she looks stronger than ever. "Nero said that I didn't have the fighting spirit necessary to summon a Stand, and that my Stand was killing me as a result," she says. "Thank you for giving me something to fight for."

"Well, if you have a Stand, there's no reason to go easy on you."

He draws three nails and throws them at Kan. Kan's bird flies in front of her and shakes its head, throwing three keys at Kan's chest. The keys open small wormholes. Kelly's nails pass through the wormholes without hurting Kan.

Kan's Stand flies at Kelly and creates a hole on his jacket. All of his nails fall out and fall to the ground. Kan runs up to Kelly and punches him in the face.

Kelly skates away and Kan shoots a key near his feet, opening a wormhole into the fountain's subterranean pipes. A geyser of water shoots out, soaking the ground around Kelly. He hydroplanes on the water and slips.

As he pulls himself to his feet, a fist grabs him by the throat. He looks over his shoulder to see Viva La Vida. "How nice of you to reenter my range," Nero says.

Viva La Vida lifts Kelly high in the air and tightens its grip. Kelly struggles to get free. He zaps himself with his Stand and slips out of Viva's grasp.

Viva punches Kelly, sending him flying back into the pool of one of the fountains. Kelly tries to crawl out of the fountain. Unfortunately, his body is still frictionless. Every time he starts to make progress, he slips back into the water. Machine Gun Kelly begins to drown.

Kan opens a wormhole on the side of the fountain. The water rushes out. Kelly coughs out a lungful of water. "Thank you," he says with a cough.

"I don't want to kill you just because you attacked us," Kan says.

"That's very kind of you," Kelly says.

Without warning, Kelly starts crying. "Are you okay?" Kan asks.

"I'm a real piece of shit, aren't I?" he says. "I tried to kill you for protecting your friend and you're asking me if I'm okay. I'm sorry I tried to kill you."

"That's good, I guess."

"I didn't even want to be part of this stupid killing game in the first place. I tried to leave the country when it started, but some boxer dude showed up and tried to kill me. I barely escaped with my life."

"Uh huh," Kan says, not really interested.

"So when Woodstock told me where to go to fight you, I decided to ambush you and kill you before you killed me. But that was wrong, and I'm sorry."

"Yeah, trying to kill us was a bit of a dick move."

Kan hears the sound of footsteps. She turns to see Nero walking towards her, Johana leaning over his shoulders. "Are you okay?" Johana asks.

"Am I okay? You're the one who got hit by a car!" Kan says.

"Good point," Johana says.

Johana leans down and looks into the fountain. "You hit me with a car," she says.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Don't worry though, your friend saved me from drowning so we're cool now," Kelly says.

"We most certainly aren't cool now. If I had the strength to beat the shit out of you, we'd be having a very different conversation right now."

"I suppose that's fair."

"Give me your car keys."

"What?"

"You wrecked our car and we need to get to the airport. Give us your car keys."

"But, I love my car! I restored it myself!"

Johana and Nero summon their Stands. "Car keys. Now," Johana says.

Kelley frantically pulls his keys from his pocket. Johana snatches them from his hand. "We're cool, right?" Kelly says.

Johana punches him in the face and walks away.

To Be Continued In:

Chapter 15: Airport Security

STAND **STATS**

**Name:** Greased Lightning

**Dub Name:** Slippery Thunder

**User:** Machine Gun Kelly

**Namesake:** "Greased Lightnin'" (Song from the musical Grease)

**Appearance:** Greased Lightning is a clothing stand that takes the form of a black fingerless glove worn by Kelly. A red lightning bolt is emblazoned on the back of the glove.

**Abilities:** Greased Lightning has the ability to create bolts of energy. These bolts do not do damage. Any surface struck by these bolts loses all traction, becoming as slippery as ice.

****Stats:******Power-E, Speed-B, Range: E, Durability-C, Precision-B, Potential-A**


	15. Chapter 15: Airport Security

Chapter 15: Airport Security

Johana pulls into the parking garage and looks at her companions. Nero sits in the passenger seat, staring at the sky and balancing a nail on the tip of his nose. Kan sits in the back; her Stand flies in a circle around her head, catching pieces of trail mix Kan throws into the air. Johana sighs and puts the car in park.

"Our flight leaves in 90 minutes," Johana says. "We need to get through airport security without any funny business."

"Do not worry, JoJo. I have flown many times and have never had trouble getting through security," Nero says. "Besides, even if we do run into any trouble, my Stand is more than strong enough to defeat some security guards."

"Okay, that's the type of thing you aren't going to say in the airport," Johana says. "There are a dozen Stand Users gunning for our heads right now. If we don't get on this plane and leave London, we're probably going to die."

"Aren't you worried about a Stand User attacking us before we can get on a plane?" Kan asks.

"If our enemies are smart, they won't attack us in a crowded environment full of security agents," Johana says.

"And if our enemies are stupid?" Nero asks.

Johana sighs. "If they're stupid, we hope we can take them out before our flight leaves," she says.

Johana walks over to the car's trunk and pulls out her suitcase. She reaches in and pulls out the Stand Arrow. "The problem is getting this through security," she says. "It's metal, so it'll show up when we go through the security line, and it's sharp, so they probably won't let us take it on the plane."

"We could just tell them the truth," Nero says.

"Oh, that's a fantastic idea, Nero," Johana says, rolling her eyes. "Hey airport security guys, would you mind if we brought this weapon on the airport? Don't worry, we aren't going to stab anyone with it. Actually, it isn't meant to be for violence anyway. It's actually an ancient artifact that gives an incurable illness to anyone it pierces. Plus, if they survive the illness, they get god-like superpowers that could easily destroy a plane mid-flight!"

"Okay, I get it-"

"Don't mind the blood on the arrow, it isn't mine. It belonged to my friend Mylo. He's dead now. But don't worry, I didn't kill him. I mean, I did shoot a woman in the head this morning, but I'm not a murderer. Anyway, how about letting us on that plane?"

"Okay, it was a dumb idea," Nero mumbles.

"Why don't we just hide the arrow and have a Speedwagon Foundation agent come and pick it up later?" Kan asks.

"If we leave it, there's a chance that someone will find it and use it to create new Stand Users," Johana says. "I don't want that blood on my hands. Our only option is to somehow get this arrow on a plane."

"Why don't we just use Dora?" Kan asks.

"I don't think children's cartoon characters are going to be much help, Kan," Johana says.

"Not the character, silly. My Stand," Kan says as her bird lands on her head.

"You named your Stand Dora?" Johana asks.

"Well, if we're being technical, I named my Stand _The Doors_," Kan says. "But I'm giving her the nickname Dora because it's easier to say."

"Why The Doors?"

"Well, she can open these little portal things, and The Doors was the band name that fit the best," Kan says.

"Why did you need to name your Stand after a band?"

"Doesn't everyone give their Stands music reference names? Guns N' Roses, Coldplay, Iron Maiden, those are bands."

"They are?"

"Yes! Come on Nero, back me up on this," Kan says. "You named your Stand after the Coldplay song, right?"

"I named my Stand after a song Mylo's Stand wrote?" Nero says, confused.

Kan sighs. "Forget it," she mutters. "The point is, my Stand shouldn't have any problem sneaking the arrow through airport security."

Nero stands in the baggage claim area holding a large bouquet of flowers. He impatiently taps his foot and tugs on his collar. He looks at his wrist, only to realize he isn't wearing a watch.

An elderly woman waiting for her suitcase taps him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, young man, are you alright?" the old woman asks.

Nero spins in a circle and places his hand on his heart. "To care about a stranger as you do is the pinnacle of kindness, dear maiden. It warms my heart," he says, chewing scenery like bubblegum. "Alas, I am not alright. For you see, kind stranger, I am in love!"

"Oh, I love a good love story!" the old woman says. "Tell me more!"

"Two months ago, I met the most beautiful woman. Her eyes were like lilies. Her hair? Also like lilies," Nero says with more ham than a Christmas dinner. "The two of us fell in love immediately. Every moment of our days was spent in passion. But..."

"But?"

"But then came the tragedy! One month ago, my love's great aunt became ill and requested my dear leave to nurse her back to health."

"Oh, that's tragic. For two lovers to be split apart like that."

"Also, her aunt lives in a foreign country that doesn't have cell service so we couldn't talk on the phone or whatever. Anyway, I haven't seen my love for an entire month. We swore to remain faithful, but I fear that another may have stolen my dear's heart."

"Oh, don't worry. She'd be a fool to leave a nice young man like you."

"I thought the same and came to this airport so I may kiss my love as soon as she returns to London. But, her plane landed one hour ago and she still hasn't come out."

The old woman places her hand on Nero's shoulder. "I'm sure everything's fine," she says. "Your girlfriend is probably just stuck in the crowds."

"I pray your prediction is correct, kindly octogenarian," Nero says.

"She's going to come out any moment and you two are going to have a beautiful reunion," the old woman says. "I can picture it now: she sees you, she drops her things and runs over to you. You take her in your arms and give a big kiss to...to...what's her name?"

"Her name?"

"Yes, your girlfriend. What's her name?"

"Yes, I suppose asking names is appropriate, considering the amount of personal details I have shared with you. What is your name?"

"My name is Whitney."

"And I am Nero."

"And your girlfriend? What's her name?"

"Her name? Her name is...uh...Baggage. Baggage Claim."

"Your girlfriend is named Baggage Claim?"

"She's french. Also, her parents are really weird."

Nero pulls his phone out of his pocket. "Oh look, my phone just made that noise it makes when I get a text. I better check it," he says. "It is a text from Baggage. I should read it."

"What does it say?" Whitney asks.

"It says _Dear Nero, although you are tall and handsome and smart I am breaking up with you._ Oh, the humanity! I am so sad now that I am going to throw these flowers at that wall."

Nero throws the bouquet of flowers at the wall as hard as he can. Instead of falling to the floor, the flowers disappear completely when they hit the wall. "Wow, you threw those flowers so hard they disintegrated," Whitney says.

"My broken heart granted me incredible strength," Nero says. "Okay, I am going to leave now."

Nero walks off towards the security line. "Where are you going? The exit's the other way," the Whitney says.

"I have decided to leave the country because London contains too many memories that are now painful," Nero says.

"Don't you need to buy a ticket?"

Nero pulls his ticket out of his pocket and waves it in the air. "I bought one in advance so I could leave London quickly in the event Baggage broke my heart," he says.

Nero leaves Whitney and goes through airport security. "What a strange young man," she says as she grabs her bag from the conveyor belt. "I hope he finds love soon."

A bouquet of flowers passes through a hole created by The Doors and is caught by Johana. She and Kan are hiding in a bathroom stall. Specifically, a bathroom stall that shares a wall with the baggage claim area. A bathroom stall located on the other end of the security scanners. Johana unwraps the bouquet, revealing the arrow hidden within.

Kan hands Johana her suitcase and she opens it, placing the Arrow inside. "That was a good plan, Kan," Johana says. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Kan says as her Stand lands on her shoulder. "Thank Dora."

"I'm not saying thank you to the bird," Johana says. "It's weird."

The two walk out of the restroom and into the airport food court. They walk past a fast food restaurant, heading for their gate. "You know, since Stands are just reflections of people's souls, it isn't that weird to say thank you to Dora," Kan says. "After all, Dora is basically me."

"Still not talking to the bird."

"Now that I think about it, it's strange that my Stand is a bird. You and Nero have Stands that look like people. Does that mean there's something weird with my soul?"

"I wouldn't think too hard about it."

"And that Kelly guy, his Stand was a glove! He must be really weird inside."

A man wearing sunglasses watches from the fast food restaurant, sipping an energy drink. He wears a camouflage vest and short shorts, and his golden hair is spiked up high above his head. He chugs the rest of his energy drink before crushing the can against his forehead. "Target acquired," he says as he summons his Stand.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 16: Thunderstruck, Part 1

STAND **STATS**

**Name:** The Doors

**Dub Name:** The Hatches

**User:** Kan Nijimura

**Namesake:** "The Doors" (American Rock Band)

**Appearance:** The Doors takes the form of a small, black and white hummingbird with infinity signs in its eyes. A necklace containing a large amount of keys hangs around its neck. The edges of its wormholes are covered in what appears to be fire.

****Abilities:******The Doors****has the ability to create temporary wormholes with its keys. Anything that passes through the opening of these wormholes is transported to the other side. These wormholes can be placed on the surface of a person or object and lead to its opposite side. These holes can be as small as one millimeter and as large as four meters in diameter.**


	16. Chapter 16: Thunderstruck, Part 1

**Chapter 16: Thunderstruck, Part 1**

A teenage girl cracks an egg on the side of a glass mixing bowl. The yolk slides down and lands in the batter. She moves her palm over the mixing bowl and the air beneath her fingers spins, stirring together the batter into a thick liquid. The girl grabs the bowl of batter and pours some of it into a metal frying pan.

The pancake batter sizzles and thickens into a fluffy cake. The girl flips the pancake, sending it high into the air. She moves the pan to catch the pancake, but she isn't quick enough. The pancake flies by her pan, dive-bombing towards the floor.

Two arms appear at the girl's side, grabbing a plate and catching the pancake. The girl takes the plate from the arms and sets it down on the kitchen table, right in front of her younger sister. The younger sister tears into the pancake, scarfing it down like an animal.

The older sister sighs and crosses her arms. "Remember your manners, Johana," she says.

Johana wipes off her mouth with her sleeve. "Sorry Josephine," she says with a mouth full of breakfast.

"There's something you should say when someone does something for you," the elder sister, Josephine, says.

"Thank you," her little sister mutters.

Josephine rolls her eyes and walks back to the stove. She pours some more batter into the pan and waits to flip it. An ethereal being stands behind her, ready to catch anything else Josephine knocks over. This being is Josephine's **Stand**, **Revolver**.

Revolver is a tall metal woman with gunmetal black skin, red goggles, and red armbands similar to revolver barrels covering its wrists. It has been with Josephine since she was a child, watching over and protecting her. Now, as Josephine turns seventeen, it is time for Revolver to defend the innocent.

Josephine's father, Joshua, walks into the kitchen. He's a tall, bulky man wearing a black hat with a gold star on it. "Josephine made pancakes, dad!" Johana says.

"That's nice," Joshua says as he pours himself a cup of black coffee.

Joshua sits down next to Johana. He towers over his ten year old daughter. "Are you really taking Josephine on a mission with you?" Johana asks.

"That's right. She's old enough to start learning the family business. You'll stay with Aunt Holly while we're gone," Joshua says.

"What're you guys going to be doing?" Johana asks.

"We're heading down to Birmingham. There've been a couple of disappearances there lately, and Grandpa Joe thinks a Stand User might be behind it," Joshua says.

"I wish I could come," Johana mumbles while staring down at her pancakes.

"Don't worry, pumpkin. Once you're older and have a **Stand **you'll be able to go on all sorts of adventures with us," Joshua says.

A few hours later, Joshua and Josephine drop Johana off at Holly Joestar-Zeppeli's house before leaving for the airport. As she leaves, Josephine places her hand on Johana's forehead. "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone," she says.

Those were the last words Josephine ever said to Johana.

Nine years later, Johana rushes through an airport terminal, looking over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure she isn't being followed.

"You need to calm down, everything's going to be fine," her friend Kan says. "We made it through airport security without a hitch. In a few hours, we'll be in New York, and then this whole thing will be over."

"I've fought four **Stand Users** in less than a day. I'm not letting my guard down until I know I'm safe."

"Huh, it really hasn't been that long since Nero showed up, has it? You must be exhausted."

"I'll sleep in New York."

Suddenly, Johana stumbles and crashes down onto the hard floor of the terminal. "Maybe you should rest now," Kan says as she helps Johana back up.

"I just tripped, that's all," Johana says.

"Come on, we need to wait for Nero anyway," Kan says.

"Tell you what, I'll rest at the gate," Johana says. "Do you remember what direction gate D is?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure this airport has some of those TV things that show you where to go."

Kan looks up at nearby digital display board. For some strange reason, the screen is black. "That's weird," Kan mutters before walking to another display.

As soon as Kan comes close to the display it turns off, leaving her with another black screen. Kan steps towards a third monitor and, like the two before it, it turns black. "Johana, come take a look at this," Kan says.

Johana takes a step forward. Her knee refuses to bend, sending her crashing to the floor. Kan runs back to Johana. "Are you okay?" she asks.

Johana rolls onto her back and grabs her knee. A thin spike resembling a porcupine quill is lodged in her knee. Johana moves her hand to pull the spike out. As her hand draws close, electricity shoots from her palm into the spike. Johana loses all feeling in her hand and her fingers go limp.

Johana pulls her hand back, regaining feeling. An old man walks by Johana and a bolt of lightning shoots from his pocket, striking Johana in the knee. Johana yelps and summons her **Stand**. It rips the spike from her knee and throws it far away.

As the spike flies through the air it passes by a display monitor. Electricity flows from the television into the spike, leaving the monitor screen black. "We're dealing with an enemy Stand User," Johana says.

"Of course we are," Kan says with a frown. "Any idea what powers they have?"

"The Stand we're facing seems to have the ability to create spikes like the one that stabbed me in the knee," Johana says. "These spikes act as powerful lightning rods, pulling in electricity from the surrounding area and hurting anyone the rods have struck."

"That sucks."

"It's worse than it sounds. Our muscles work using electrical signals. This guy was able to disable my leg with one of their quills. If we get hit in the limbs by these spikes we won't be able to run away or fight back, dooming us lie on the ground as we're shocked to death."

A small crowd has formed around the duo, intrigued by Johana's presence on the floor. "Do you know who the **User **is?" Kan asks while helping Johana to her feet.

"Not yet," Johana says while looking at the crowd. "There are too many people around to be sure who the **Stand User** is."

Kan summons her bird. It flies over the crowd, looking for anyone who looks suspicious. A spike flies from within the crowd and strikes Kan's **Stand **in the wing. Bolts of electricity shoot out from the pockets of the crowd, frying the small bird.

Johana catches Kan as she collapses. Kan's arm is covered in electricity burns. Johana grits her teeth. "Okay, you wanna play hardball? Let's play hardball," she says.

Johana carries Kan to a seat and sets her down gently. Her **Stand **appears before her. It roars as its wristbands spin up to speed. The **Stand **slams its fists into the ground, cracking the stone floor.

The crowd starts to back away. "Run and you die," Johana shouts.

"Are you okay, lassie?" an old man in a bowler hat says.

Johana's **Stand **rushes forward and swings at the old man, stopping only a few centimeters from his skull. The old man doesn't react. "You're clean," Johana says.

Johana's **Stand** unleashes a flurry of punches on the crowd, each punch only barely missing its target. "My Stand is a **Close Range Power** type," Johana says. "A single hit from it will kill you, or at the very least gravely injury you. I know that one of you is an enemy **Stand User**. That person will definitely flinch."

Punch after punch flies. Johana moves through the crowd, searching for the enemy **Stand User**. A man with sunglasses and spiked hair stands in the center of the crowd, arms crossed, smirking. When Johana sees him a chill runs down her spine. She knows just from looking that he's the man with the lightning powers.

"What's so funny?" Johana asks.

"Nothing," the man says with a laugh.

Johana's **Stand **charges forward and swings at the man. He doesn't flinch. Instead of stopping the fist short, Johana pushes through, seriously intending to harm the man. Still, the man refuses to flinch. At the last moment the man ducks. His **Stand **appears in front of him and uppercut's Johana's **Stand**, sending it flying into the air.

The man's **Stand **looks like a mummy, with old bandages covering its rotten skin. Quills poke out of the bandages, making it resemble an acupuncture patient. One of these quills shoots out of the **Stand**'s forehead, striking Johana's **Stand **in the chest. A bolt of electricity arcs down from the lights on the ceiling, striking Johana's **Stand**.

Johana falls to her knees and clutches her chest. Her **Stand **rips the quills out of its chest and roars. "Nice guess, girlie. Figured me out from a glance," the man in the sunglasses says. "My name's Sydney Young. The ugly fellow standing beside me is my good friend **Thunderstruck**. I'm going to kill you now, if you don't mind.

To Be Continued in:

Chapter 17: Thunderstruck, Part 2

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Thunderstruck

**Dub Name:** Lightningstrike

**User:** Sidney Young

**Namesake:** "Thunderstruck" (ACDC Song)

**Appearance:** A mummy with porcupine quills sticking out of its bandages.

**Abilities: **Thunderstruck is capable of firing its quills with dead shot accuracy. These quills draw in any electricity in the surrounding area, giving Young the ability to deactivate technology and damage opponents. By manipulating the electricity in someone's body, Young is able to either disable muscles or force them to move against their owner's will.

**Stats:** Power-A, Speed-B, Range: C, Durability-C, Precision-A, Potential-C

Chapter 17:

Thunderstruck, Part 2


	17. Chapter 17: Thunderstruck, Part 2

**Chapter 17: Thunderstruck, Part 2**

Johana sits in a Speedwagon Foundation office. Her legs swing back and forth on her chair; it's far too tall for her. Nero sits next to her, holding her hand. He dares not open his mouth, for fear of revealing a dark truth his parents have forbid.

His parents, Holly and Antonio, stand by a large window, staring out over the parking lot. Holly's mascara has run down her face, swept away by a river of tears. She pulls a cigarette out of her purse and lights it. She knows it's rude to smoke indoors, but she needs this right now.

Her father, Joseph, head of the Joestar family and the Speedwagon Foundation alike, sits at the large desk in the center of the room. He stares at his watch, watching as the second hand slowly circles the clock face. He sighs. "Julius and Joshua will be back from the airport soon," he says.

Johana looks out around the room, at her silent relatives. Something is wrong, very very wrong, but she can't figure out what. Her father and sister were only supposed to be gone for a few days, but it's been two months and neither of them has spoken to her. Two days ago, her Aunt received a phone call. When the call was over, Holly was crying and wouldn't tell Johana why.

This morning, the entire Joestar family traveled to Joseph's office. They told Johana her father had bad news, news best told in person. So Johana sits, waiting to finally see her father again.

Joshua pushes the door open and Johana runs to hug him. She stops two feet short. Something is wrong, something is very very wrong. Her father, a man who always felt like the pinnacle of strength, looks weak. His arms hang at his side and he leans down, staring at the ground. He hasn't shaved in days; from the look on his face, he hasn't slept either. His hat, the black cap with the gold star, sits low on his face, covering his eyes.

"Hi pumpkin," Joshua says. His deep voice cracks as he says this.

Johana takes a step back; she's never seen her father like this. He grabs her and picks her up, hugging her so tightly she can barely breathe. Then it begins, the crying. Joshua doesn't stop crying for five minutes.

"Things in Birmingham, they didn't go the way we planned," Joshua says as the tears wind down. "Josephine, she tried so hard. She tried so hard. But, but, she's gone now. She's gone."

Johana doesn't know how to respond to this. She just sits in her father's arms, silent, waiting for him to confess that this is a joke. The confession never comes.

"Don't worry, I'm going to fix this," Joshua says. "I'm going to fix this. I'm going to fix this."

"I gotta hand it to you, you did a real good job figure out how Thunderstruck ticks," Young says. "Mind telling you about your **Stand**?"

"Why would I do that?" Johana asks.

"Out of a desire for fairness."

"You're trying to kill me, why would I make it easier for you?"

Young sighs. "Fine, don't tell me how your **Stand **works," he says. "Can you at least tell me its name?"

"It doesn't have a name," Johana replies.

"What do you mean _it doesn't have a name_, everything has a name?"

"I only got it last night, I haven't had time to give it a name."

"I named my Stand five minutes after I got it," Kan chimes in.

"Well, I haven't named mine yet," Johana says.

Johana Joestar and Sydney Young are staring each other down in an airport terminal. Their **Stands** stand next to them, ready to pounce on one another. Kan sits on a nearby bench, clutching her injured arm. The crowd has run away, scared off by the screams and the lightning.

An airport security guard approaches, smacking a baton against his hand. "Okay, what's going on here?" he asks.

**Thunderstruck **fires two of its quills at the man, striking him in the knees. His knees buckle and he falls to the ground. **Thunderstruck **fires more quills at the man. Bolts of electricity fly from nearby electronics and fry the man to death.

Johana clenches her fists. "You didn't have to do that," she says.

"I didn't want him interfering in our fight," Young says without a hint of remorse.

"He was a person, he probably had a family, people he loved-"

"And now he's a corpse. Are you going to keep standing around bitching or are we going to fight?"

Johana's **Stand **smashes its fists together. Its wristbands roar up to speed, making a noise that isn't out of place at an airport. "Okay, let's fight," Johana says.

She charges forward, her **Stand** floating behind her. **Thunderstruck **fires its quills and Joahana dodges out of the way. She reaches the body of the slain security guard and grabs his baton, tossing it up to her **Stand**.

The **Stand **floods the baton with rotational energy before chucking it at Young. He ducks out of the way, narrowly avoiding it. After flying by Young's skull, the baton curves back like a boomerang. It hits Young in the back of the head, knocking him off balance.

Johana's **Stand **uppercuts Young, knocking him off his feet. He coughs up a mouthful of blood and fires down a quill, hitting Johana in the throat. The muscles in Johana's throat tighten. She gasps for air as Young lands and knees her in the face.

Johana's **Stand **swings at Young; he ducks out of the way and kicks Johana in the stomach, knocking her away. Young fires another quill. Johana leaps with her **Stand**, dodging the quill and flying high into the air.

Young fires another quill and Johana has her own **Stand **hit her, knocking her out of the way. A bolt of electricity arcs down from a light into the new quill. The electricity then shoots into the quill lodged in Johana's throat.

Johana crashes down into the ground. In addition to slowly suffocating her, her closed-off throat prevents her from bringing in **Hamon **energy to heal her wounds. Johana grits her teeth. Her **Stand **grabs the quill and rips it out, unleashes a torrent of blood.

Johana takes a deep breath and places her hands on her throat, applying pressure to the wound. She sits still as **Hamon **energy slowly fixes her throat.

Young fires a dozen quills into the air. They rain down around Johana, completely surrounding her. A bolt of electricity rips out of a wall outlet into one of the quills and bounces between the forest of quills, striking Johana again and again as it travels between different quills.

Johana's **Stand **charges up rotational energy and unleashes a flurry of punches on the ground. The rotational energy flows into the quills and breaks them, destroying Young's grid of death.

Johana charges at Young. As she runs, she mistakenly steps over a power outlet located on the floor of the terminal. Young seizes this opportunity and fires a storm of quills at Johana. The quills and Johana pass by the outlet at the same moment.

A lethal amount of electricity bursts from the ground. It moves in and out of Johana again and again and again as it bounces between the quills. The lights dim, the quills fly away, and Johana falls to her knees.

"Let me tell you a little story, Joestar," Young says as he walks over to his fallen foe. "I used to be a hitman. Well, I say hitman, but that isn't really accurate. I killed people for free. Do you want to know why I didn't charge for my services?" Johana doesn't respond. "I didn't charge because I loved what I did. The rush you get when you take someone's life, it's a high greater than any drug. I'd like to thank you, Joestar, for giving me such a good rush."

As Young closes in to deal the final blow, he finally notices something important. Johana's body is covered in small wormholes, created by **The Doors**, **Stand **of Kan Nijimura. Young realizes that, instead of entering Johana's body and damaging her, the electricity flowed through these holes, sparing Johana.

Young looks back at the bench where Kan sits, her bird resting on her shoulder. Kan waves. Johana's **Stand **punches Young as hard as it can, sending him flying back into a queue line.

Young crawls to his feet and sees Johana walking towards him. He panics and begins running through the queue line, zigzagging around the rope barriers. Johana's **Stand **grabs the rope barrier and fills it with rotational energy. The ropes wrap around Young and pull him back to Johana.

"ORAORAORAORAORAORA!" Johana screams as her **Stand **unleashes a flurry of punches on the rope barrier mummy in front of her. Young's broken body is knocked away, crashing through a large glass window onto the runway.

Kan runs up to Johana. "That was awesome!" she says.

"I broke every bone in his body, he shouldn't be hurting anyone else for a long time," Johana says, catching her breathe.

"Now we just need to get on the plane and we'll be good," Kan says.

As she says this, Johana hears the sound of twenty guns cocking. She turns to see an army of airport security officers pointing guns at her. "Probably should have seen that coming," Johana mutters while putting her hands up.


	18. Chapter 18: Thunderstruck, Part 3

**Chapter 18: Thunderstruck, Part 3**

Johana sits in an airport security interrogation room, her hands locked together by handcuffs. She could break them, of course, but what would be the point? There's no way they'd let her get on a plane ten minutes after locking her up.

The light above Johana is far too bright, shining down blinding white light all over the metal table Johana's hands are chained to. Johana moves her mouth to her coat and bites one of her buttons, tearing it off. She uses **Hamon **to spit the button at the light with pinpoint accuracy, shattering that.

"Impressive," a policeman says as he walks into the interrogation room. "I guess I'll add property destruction to your long list of charges."

"What charges? I've been here for five hours and you still haven't told me what I'm being charged with," Johana says.

"Oh, all in good time," the policeman says.

He wears an ill-fitting grey suit with a loose blue tie. Bandages cover a cut on his right hand. His greasy hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail. Something about his demeanor pisses Johana off. "Who are you?" she asks.

"My name is Chief Inspector Sting, I'm with the London Police. Airport Security called me after you killed that security agent."

"Like I told the last guy, I didn't kill him."

"You won't believe this, but you're the first murder suspect to say that to me."

"Check the tapes, I didn't touch him."

"The cameras in that part of the terminal went out right before the security agent died. Some kind of power surge, I'm told. Eyewitnesses said you were raving like a madwoman before the detective died, threatening to kill people. Others reported that you got into a fistfight with another man, a man who is now missing.

"His name is Sydney Young, he's the one you're after. I didn't do anything to the security guard."

"Then why were your fingerprints on the dead man's baton?"

Johana's heart drops. Inspector Sting pulls a notepad out of his pocket and glances over hastily scribbled notes. "According to the papers we found on you, your name is Johana Joestar. Is this correct?" he asks.

"Yes."

"And the girl that was with you, the one that is now missing, her name is Kan Nijimura, correct?"

"Wait, what do you mean, missing? What happened to Kan?"

"She escaped from security shortly after the two of you were brought in. Don't worry, we'll find her. After all, we wouldn't want a murderer running free."

"I'm not a murderer, and Kan definitely isn't."

"Of course you aren't. This is all some big coincidence, isn't it?" Sting says in a mocking voice. "You know, I'd be more inclined to believe you if this wasn't the first time you were involved in this kind of thing."

"This is the first time-"

"When I heard that the people being held were Johana Joestar and Kan Nijimura, I was pleasantly surprised, because the two of you are prime suspects in multiple cases of mine."

"What cases?"

"Yesterday a crowd of people fainted at your friend's concert. When we investigated the campus, we found multiple bodies, including the body of one of your teachers, a teacher you reportedly disliked and the body of a student whose heart had been ripped out," Sting says. "And then, before I could track you down and question you, I was pulled away to a new case. Dozens of people died in a hospital downtown under mysterious circumstances. A hospital that, surprise surprise, you checked Kan Nijimura into mere hours before. Among the dead was another man whose heart was ripped out, a man who, by sheer coincidence, shared a room with Nijimura an hour earlier."

Johana clenches her fist. "And then, this morning, we received reports of gunfire outside your dorm building. When we arrived we found more bodies," Sting says. "And, of course, there's the issue of the dead security guard."

"Like I said, Sydney Young killed that man. The other slayings, they weren't my fault."

"And where is Sydney Young now?"

"I punched him through a window onto the tarmac, check there."

"So you admit to killing this man? That's progress, I suppose."

"I didn't kill him. At least, I don't think I did. I didn't have a chance to check because you locked me up here. And I only fought him because he attacked me and Kan. It was self-defense. All of these _slayings _have been self-defense. I've never sought out to hurt someone."

"Then explain the arrow," String says. Johana curses herself and slams her fist against the table. "Oh, you didn't think we'd find the arrow? If you aren't trying to hurt anyone, why are you trying to bring a weapon on an airplane." Johana doesn't have a good response for that.

"Everywhere you go, it seems, death follows," Sting says. "Our current theory is that miss Nijimura is some sort of psycho killer and you're her accomplice. As soon as we find Nijimura, the two of you are going away for the rest of your lives, understand?"

A large foot kicks open the door of the interrogation room. "Objection! I object to these proceedings," Nero shouts as he bursts in.

"I'm sorry, who the hell are you?" Inspector Sting asks.

"How thoughtful of you to ask, dear detective. I am JoJo's lawyer and am appalled that you questioned that you would question my client without my presence. Worse, you have not even read JoJo her rights yet, which is grounds for a missed trial!"

"You aren't a lawyer," Sting says.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I've met lawyers, you aren't one."

"Such slander! I'll add that to the long list of things my client and I will be suing you for after this thing boils over. On the topic of my client being mistreated, let us talk about those lights on the ceiling. One of them is broken! Do you really expect my client to sit here in such horrid conditions! I demand you release my cousin at once!"

"Okay, I'm not really sure what's happening right now, but I know for a fact that Joestar isn't leaving anytime soon," Sting says. "For crying out loud, she's wanted for multiple murders."

"Nero, what are you doing here?" Johana asks.

"I am trying to save you, JoJo," Nero says.

"Well, you're doing a pretty shitty job at the moment," Johana says.

"Wow, that was cold," Sting says.

"Inspector, I apologize for my cousin...being the way he is," Johana says.

"Is he even a lawyer?"

"You dare accuse me of not being a lawyer? I shall not stand by as you fling these insults, good sir!" Nero says before backhanding Inspector Sting.

Sting grits his teeth. "Did you just strike a member of the police, you son of a bitch?"

"Insulting my mother now, are we? I should slap you for that. Note that this shall be the first time I slap you, because that first slap hardly counted. If I really wanted to slap you, I would have done it like this," Nero says. He slaps Inspector Sting as hard as he can, flinging Sting over the table.

"Goddamnit Nero," Johana says while laying her head down on the table.

Inspector Sting climbs to his feet, his face red with burning hatred. "You bastard, I'll make sure you rot in a hole for the rest of your life!" he shouts.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Nero says before running out of the room. Inspector Sting charges after him, slamming the door behind him as he leaves.

Johana sits there in silence for twenty seconds before sighing. "Good job, Nero," she says. "You know, when I break someone out of police custody I usually try to take them with me, but your way works too."

"Talking to yourself is really weird, you know," a voice from behind Johana says. Johana turns to see Kan standing in a black corner, waving.

"Kan? How did you-"

"**Stand**."

"Oh, right."

"I broke out of custody as soon as I could and found Nero. Are you going to break your cuffs or are you just going to sit there?"

"What's the point?" Johana asks. "This airport is filled with cops-"

"Cops who are preoccupied with Nero right now."

"I feel bad for mocking his plan now."

"Don't. The lawyer act wasn't exactly Oscar-worthy."

Johana snaps her handcuffs. Kan opens a doorway on the wall and the duo sneak their way back to the main terminal, where they hide within a crowd of travelers. "Nero got us some new tickets after we missed our flight. Take off is in ten minutes," Kan says. "It'll be tight, but we should be able to make it."

"What about Nero?"

"Nero's smart, he can take care of himself. Besides, Woodstock's **Stand Users** are after you, not Nero."

Johana's throat drops. "The arrow! Sting mentioned the police had the suitcase we hid it in-"

"Don't worry, I've got that handled," Kan says.

Kan leads Johana to a potted plant by the airport restrooms. After glancing around to make sure nobody is watching, she creates a wormhole on the ground and pulls out a suitcase. "I stole it back before coming to rescue you," Kan says.

Johana opens up the suitcase, revealing three bracelets, the arrow, and a black cap with a gold star printed on it. "Huh," Johana says.

"What?" Kan asks.

"It's just, in all of the time I've known you, I've never seen you be so...on top of things," Johana says. "You've grown a lot recently."

Kan blushes. "Let's get going," she mutters. "We don't want to miss our flight."

Nero runs through the airport, chased by dozens of cops. Inspector Sting pulls a pistol from his belt and fires wildly at Nero. Nero slides like a baseball player, dodging the shots. **Viva La Vida** appears next to him and strikes the ground, decaying it. The police trip over the pothole-filled floor.

Sting leaps over the trap and continues chasing Nero. Nero jumps back to his feet and runs as fast as he can. He runs up and escalator, hurdling over people in his way. Sting keeps chasing.

Nero runs straight for a wall. "There's nowhere you can run!" Sting shouts. Nero smiles. His **Stand **appears and breaks down the wall. The **Stand **jumps through the new hole, sending Nero flying out of the hospital.

Sting stops. He's stunned with confusion. Nero is gone, having evaded two dozen cops. That isn't what confuses Sting, though. The thing that he can't understand is the strange figure that appeared next to Nero as he broke the wall.

Nero lands on the ground outside the airport. Droplets of rain splash down as he runs away. Thunder crashes above as he climbs up the parking garage where he left Kelly's convertible.

Nero stops short of the car. A man stands by the car, arms crossed. Nero summons his **Stand**. "I did not expect to see you here," he says.

Johana slides the suitcase under her seat. As the flight attendants give their speech, Johana takes Kan's hand. "We made it," she says with a smile.

"You'll be back in New York soon, isn't it exciting?" Kan asks.

"You know, so much has been going on that I haven't really had a chance to think about it," Johana says. "I don't plan to stick around longer than I have to, though. I'm only going home because I have to."

"Where do you want to go after New York? We can't go back to London, obviously."

"Yeah, we can't," Johana says with a sigh. "I'm sorry I brought you into this."

"We should go to Japan," Kan says, ignoring Johana's apology. "It's really pretty this time of year. I can show you my hometown, introduce you to my family, it'll be fun."

As the plane begins taxiing down the runway, the pilots notice a man standing on the tarmac. He shambles towards the plane, leaving a trail of blood. His arms hang limp at his side, too broken to function. Countless quills have been stabbed precisely into his body like acupuncture needles.

**As Johana's plane begins to take off, Sydney Young summons ******Thunderstruck ******and fires a storm of quills at it. Lightning crashes down from the stormy sky into the plane, bouncing between quills and ripping the plane apart. The remains of the plane crash down and explode.**


	19. Chapter 19: Thunderstruck, Part 4

Chapter 19: Thunderstruck, Part 4

Johana Joestar stands under a large tree, a quarter-mile away, smoking a cigarette. She watches the funeral procession with silent fury. She takes a deep drag and releases it, watching the smoke float away from her lips. It's a bad habit, one born of rebellion.

Nero walks up to the tree. He wrings out his hands. "The service is starting soon," he says.

"It is," Johana replies.

"Grandpa Joe sent me to go get you."

"Of course he did." Johana drops her cigarette on the ground and stomps on it.

"I understand that you are taking Joshua's death the hardest," Nero says. "He was your father, after all."

"That's the thing, Nero. I'm not even sad. I'm just angry."

"Grief affects each of us differently-"

"Did Grandpa Joe tell you what's in that coffin? Because it isn't his body. Leadbelly mangled him so bad there isn't even a body left to bury. This whole stupid funeral, it's just for show."

Nero sighs. "Funerals can give closure, Johana, even if the body has been lost," he says.

"That's bullshit and you know it. Dad sure as hell didn't get any closure from Joespheine's funeral."

"Please, just come to the grave. It will mean a lot to the others."

Without a word, Johana walks to the pit where her family has lowered the coffin. They stand around the pit in dark clothing, unsure what to say. The stone grave maker shows a large star. Within the star lies a sobering string of words: _Joshua Joseph Joestar, 1964-2008. Friend, father, hero. _A black cap with a gold star sits atop the grave.

Johana picks up the hat and holds it at her side. Her grandfather, an old man with a beard and a cane, begins his eulogy. "Joshua, my son, was a good man. One of the best I have had the privilege to know," he says, his voice low and dry. "He was a loving father, a kind friend, a-"

Grandpa Joe glances at Johana and loses his train of thought. "Joshua, he understood the concept of duty," he says. "Our family has been blessed with tremendous power. There are others out there who possess the same power as us but lack Joshua's moral backbone, those who would use their power to harm innocents. Joshua, like the Joestars and Zeppelis of generations past, understood that it is the duty of those with power to protect those who have none-"

Johana walks away. She can't stand to hear another word of this. Nero chases after her. "Where are you going?" he shouts.

"I don't know, somewhere far away," Johana snaps back.

"I understand that the funeral is hard to sit through, but-"

"This isn't about the fucking funeral!" Johana shouts. She turns back to Nero; her eyes are red with tears. "I am so sick of this family. Always running off, throwing their lives away for strangers."

"Johana-"

"When I was ten my sister died fighting against an enemy **Stand User** because it was her _duty_. My father abandoned me for five years to try and avenge her and all he accomplished was throwing himself onto the pile of corpses. Now Grandpa Joe wants to go up there and talk about the glory of his death, how great it was that he threw his life away? It pisses me off."

"Please Johana, come back," Nero mumbles, head in his hands.

"I'm not coming back. Not just to the funeral, to the family in general. It isn't personal, I just hate all of you and never want to see you again."

"Where will you go? What will you do for money?"

"I already told you I don't know-"

"Then let me help you."

Johana stops walking and looks back at Nero. "This life you have been thrust into, a destiny of fighting for the innocent, it is not a life anyone should be forced to live," Nero says. "I will help you get away. I will set you off in some far off country with enough money to survive. Most importantly, I will make sure Grandpa Joe and my mother do not know where you are."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because, JoJo, you are my friend. And, if you never want to see me again, then that is a wish I must comply with, no matter how much it hurts my heart."

This promise, as earnest as it is on the day it was made, will eventually broken. Three and a half years later, when Johana is attending university in London, Nero will learn via his mother's premonition **Stand **that Johana's life is in danger. He will break his vow and rush to rescue her. In doing so, he will doom her and drag her back into the violent world she worked so hard to escape.

And, as Johana attempts to escape London, she will meet a powerful **Stand User** named Sydney Young. She will make the mistake of leaving him alive. As her plane takes off, he will return and call down the fury of the sky on Johana.

The burning wreckage of the plane lies in a thousand different pieces on the runway. The flames created by Young's lightning don't seem to go out, no matter how much rain falls upon them. The sounds of screams and sirens fill the air as Kan drags Johana out of the wreckage. The duo have narrowly escaped death, thanks solely to Kan using her **Stand **to open a hole in the bottom of the plane before the lightning struck.

Johana can't move. Not out of injury, but out of shock. Death and destruction surround her and she knows it is her fault. How many people are there on a commercial airliner, how many innocent lives have been snuffed out by Sydney Young's malice? Johana doesn't know. She doesn't want to know.

Kan grabs Johana by the hand and drags her away. Johana's body moves without thought. "We have to get out of here!" Kan shouts. To Johana, she sounds like she's underwater. "Young's quills draw in electricity. If he hits us with one of them during a thunderstorm, we're dead!"

Young walks down the tarmac towards the duo. He looks terrible, a mess of broken limbs and twisted appendages. Blood drips down from the countless gashes covering his body and splashes into the pool of water at Young's feet. Dozens of his **Stand's **quills poke out of his bruised skin, carefully placed in the center of important muscles.

His **Stand Thunderstruck**, a mummy with quills poking out from the bandages covering its body, appears next to Young. **Thunderstruck **fires one of its quills at Johana. Johana doesn't move.

Kan shoves Johana out of the way, taking her place in Young's line of fire. The quill strikes Kan in the stomach. The clouds above rumble as a bolt of electric death is pulled down to earth.

Johana is too shocked to move, but her **Stand**, the living embodiment of her instincts and fighting spirit, still has the will to fight. It appears before Johana and rips the quill out of Kan's stomach, throwing it as far away as it can. The lightning bolt changes direction at the last minute, narrowly missing Kan and Johana.

The **Stand **grabs a piece of the plane's wing and throws it at Young. Young jumps out of the way, dodging the piece of broken metal. The chunk of wing boomerangs back and strikes Young in the back, piercing his spine. He doesn't react and keeps walking towards Johana and Kan.

"A few years ago, back when I was an assassin, I had a job that went wrong," Young says. His voice is completely free of emotion. "I was hired to kill this old German guy. Things went wrong. He threw me off a balcony. I lived, but I broke my spine in the process."

"I couldn't move my body from the neck down. I was doomed to a life of suffering, waiting in a hospital bed for the grim reaper to rare his boney face and finally end my suffering with a swipe from his scythe. Then Woodstock showed up and stabbed me with the **Arrow**."

"I don't know why, but when Woodstock stabbed me, I regained the ability to move my body. I was able to walk again. I was able to kill again. The rush that had been denied to me for so long was finally back within my grasp."

"The injuries you gave me are so great that a normal man would be unable to move right now. But, I am no normal man. The human body uses electrical signals to run every vital function. By carefully placing quills within my muscles and joints, I am able to keep fighting despite my injuries."

"Don't get me wrong, you did do a good job breaking me. Hell, I doubt I'll live for more than another hour without visiting a hospital. But, there are more important things that living. Like brutally murdering you and everyone you care about."

Johana's **Stand **throws a flaming piece of the plane's engine at Young. **Thunderstruck **fires a quill at the engine chunk before it hits Young, and a bolt of lightning arcs down and annihilates it.

When the flash of light created by the lightning bolt subsides, Kan and Johana are gone. Young spots Johana's **Stand **running away, dragging Kan and its master by their wrists. "You think you can run away from me?" Young yells.

He chases after Johana's **Stand**, firing quill after quill at the fleeing figure. Johana's **Stand **dodges each quill, but only barely. The muscles in his broken legs move as hard as they can, free from the limits placed upon them by his nervous system. With the strength of a mother lifting a car, Young chases Johana.

He comes closer and closer as Johana's **Stand **barely dodges his attacks. "You can't run forever!" he shouts.

In the distance, barely audible over the sound of the rain, Kan hears a familiar sound. She looks back, at the tarmac behind Young, and smiles. "Throw us in the air," she says to Johana's **Stand**. The **Stand **follows her orders.

Young is confused for a moment. Then he hears the sound coming from behind him, the sound of a roaring car engine. He turns back just in time to see a white convertible, driven by Nero Zeppeli, run him over.

The convertible keeps going after hitting Sydney Young. Johana and Kan, thrown into the air by Johana's **Stand**, land in the convertible's back seat. The convertible races down the soaking tarmac, fleeing from Young.

"Are you okay?" Nero asks.

"Physically, yes, but Johana's in shock," Kan says. "What are you doing here?"

"We saw the plane get hit from the car park and figured you two were in trouble, so we drove through the fence to come save you," Nero says.

"We?" Kan asks. Then she notices him, the man sitting in the car's passenger seat, a man she didn't expect to see again.

Sydney Young crawls to his feet and screams into the sky. Electricity jumps between the quills in his limbs as he sprints after the convertible. Fueled by rage, he comes closer and closer to the car.

The man in the passenger seat stands up and points his arm at Young. A bolt of red lightning shoots out of his glove and strikes the ground beneath Young's feet. Young slips and lands on his face. "What's that dude's problem?" Machine Gun Kelly asks.

"Kelly? What are you doing here?" Kan asks.

"Well, I knew you guys were going to the airport, so I went by to steal my car back and ran into Nero," Kelly says. "I figured I'd help save you, to try and make up for the whole attempted murder thing."

"Thanks, I guess?" Kan says.

Sydney Young leaps out of the greased part of the tarmac. His clothes are completely soaked, as much in blood as in rain. He fires a quill at the white convertible speeding away; it comes up short.

Johana looks out the back of the convertible, at the cruel man raving in the rain. Then she notices it, something floating in the air, pushed back and forth by opposing winds. A black cap with a gold star, her only memento of her father.

Johana's suitcase was destroyed when the plane crashed. But, my some small twist of fate, the hat survived. Set free of its suitcase, the cap twirls through the air.

Johana looks at Young again. He's a man who lives only to spread pain and suffering, a man who will never stop killing as long as he draws breath. Johana clenches her fists and finally decides to stop running.

She leaps out of the car, using **Hamon **and her **Stand **to amplify the strength of her jump. At the top of her arc, Johana snatches her father's cap out of the sky and places it on her head as she lands.

"I hate fighting and **Stands **and violence," Johana shouts through the rain. "Most of all, I hate watching people die. I ran away from home, not because I hated my family, but because I knew I would see each and every one of them die if I stuck around. But I've realized that there's something out there I hate more than watching people die: people like you."

"I don't know if this is what my father thought his duty was, but it's a duty I shall begrudgingly take. As long as people like you exist, people who live only to kill and cause pain, I will swallow my fears and fight. No one else is ever going to die so you can get your goddamn rush, Sydney," Johana shouts.

Johana's Stand appears behind her and roars. It slams its fists together as its revolver bracers spin up and create that jet engine roar. "This is my **Stand**, the **Stand **passed down by my sister and awakened by my rage," Johana screams. "This is my **Twisted Sister**, the **Stand **that will defeat you!"

Johana and Young charge at each other, **Twisted Sister** and **Thunderstruck **floating behind them. **Thunderstruck **fires a volley of quills at Johana. "ORA ORA ORA ORA!" Johana shouts as **Twisted Sister** punches the air before her, creating a swirling gust of wind that knocks the quills off course.

Young fires three quills at Johana's feet. Johana dodges by leaping into the air. Young follows, using his overcharged muscles to send himself flying at Johana.

Johana jerks her head back just in time to avoid being kneed in the face. Her **Stand **slams its fist into Young's mouth, knocking out a mouthful of teeth.

Thunderstruck fires a quill into Johana's shoulder. A bolt of lightning begins shooting down from the clouds. **Twisted Sister** slams its hand on Johana's Shoulder, knocking the quill out and sending it rocketing down to the tarmac.

**Twisted Sister** grabs Young's ankle and spins around. Its foot meets **Thunderstruck's **chest. **Twisted Sister **kicks off **Thunderstruck's **stomach and shoots towards the ground, chasing the quill and followed by the bolt of lightning. The bolt tears through **Thunderstruck **as **Twisted Sister** slams Young into the ground, right on top of the quill.

Johana jumps out of the way just in time to dodge the lightning bolt. Young isn't so lucky. The lightning bolt crashes down into his chest and bounces between the quills in his body, completely destroying him.

_Sydney Young - Age 33 - Annihilated_

Johana stands over her felled foe and catches her breath. The quiet girl running from her past she was a mere day ago is gone. What stands in her places is something different, a woman reforged by the flames of battle.

Her purple raincoat and twisted blue braids flap in the wind. Bandages are wrapped around her fists like exercise tape. A black cap sits on her head, emblazoned with a star that matches the one on her shoulder. Her name is Johana Joestar, wielder of the **Stand Twisted Sister**.

The convertible pulls up beside her. Nero, Kan, and even Kelly run up to see if she's okay. "I've decided I'm not going to run anymore," she says. "Woodstock, his **Stand Users,** the police, even Leadbelly, I'll take each of them as they come. If the **Stand Users** of London are going to fight, then I'll be the last one standing. This path before me will be long and full of bloodshed. I'll understand if you guys would like to leave-"

"I'll follow you anywhere you go," Kan says.

"I owe you for sparing me, it would be wrong to ditch you," Kelly says.

"Johana, it is my fault that you became involved in this mess. I would be a monster if I abandoned you," Nero says.

Johana hops into the backseat of the convertible. "Let's get out of here, the cops'll be here soon and I don't feel like telling Inspector Sting that I actually killed this one," she says.

The quartet drive off towards their destiny.

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Twisted Sister

**Dub Name:** Twisted Destiny

**User:** Johana Joestar

**Namesake:** "Twisted Sister" (American Heavy Metal Band)

**Appearance: **Twisted Sister is tall and thin, with mechanical joints and iron skin. Its skin is covered in scratches and rust. It wears a pair of triangular sunglasses that cover its golden eyes. A mohawk made of red spikes covers the Stand's head. Dozens of metal rods poke out of the Stand's back. Red bands, like the cylinders of a revolver, cover the Stand's wrists.

**Abilities: **By spinning its wrist gauntlets, Twisted Sister is able to generate rotational energy and send it into objects it touches with its hands. Using this energy, Johana is able to make objects spin. At higher speeds, the rotational energy is enough to tear objects and living beings apart. In addition, Johana is capable of making ropes bundle up and thrown objects boomerang back.

**Stats:** Power-A, Speed-A, Range: D, Durability-C, Precision-B, Potential-C

To be Continued in

Chapter 20: Interlude


	20. Chapter 20: Interlude

Chapter 20: Interlude

Wreckage is strewn all across the tarmac. Piles of twisted pieces of metal, charred seats, and shattered glass are barely recognizable as they sit under the stormy sky. The fire has long ceased burning. Emergency services drug the survivors out of the wreckage hours ago; now, the deal with the bodies.

Inspector Sting watches from the distance through a pair of binoculars. "Those bastards, I can't believe they would go do far," he mutters.

A low ranking offer walks up to him, holding a hat in his hands. "Um, sir?" he says.

"Please, tell me you've found them," Sting says.

"They, uh, got away, sir."

Sting grits his teeth. The binoculars in his hand begin to bubble. Black plastic drips down and splatters on the wet ground and the binoculars are melted by his rage. "I want every officer available hunting them," he says.

Her name is Alabama Song. She owns a small tavern in the back streets of London. It's a quiet tavern, one whose only entrance is in a grimy back alley. Still, she finds enough customers to stay in business.

On one dark, rainy evening, at around seven, four customers walk into her tavern. Or, more accurately, three customers walk in carrying a fourth over their shoulders.

"Is she okay?" Song asks.

"Do not worry, friendly tender of bar," the largest of the intruders says. "Our friend is merely asleep."

The large man sets the sleeping woman down in a booth and sits down next to her. He brushes some hair out away from her face. "Five more minutes," the sleeping woman mumbles.

"She's really out, isn't she?" Alabama Song asks.

"She has had a long day," the large man says. He glances at his companions and sighs. "We all have."

Alabama Song returns to tending bar and the large man, a man named Nero, leans back in his seat. "It is good to finally rest," he says. "How long did it take us to finally lose the police after we left the airport?"

"Three hours, at least," one of his companions, a man named Kelly, says.

"And what a three hours it was," Nero says. "It is a shame Johana slept through it. There were some fantastically cool moments that happened between her fight with Young and us arriving at this bar."

"I can't believe she fell asleep as soon as she was done with Young," another of Nero's companions, a woman named Kan, says. "There were some crazy moments in that chase. Like that moment at the bridge."

"Or the moment with the old lady," Kelly says.

"Or the thing with the pickles!" Kan says.

"Yes, it was a fantastic chase," Nero says. "One that, unfortunately, can not be properly described with mere words."

Kelly picks up a peanut and flicks it. It lands in Johana's open mouth. She coughs as it goes down her throat, but doesn't wake up. "Are you sure she's alright?" Kelly asks.

"No, she is not 'all right'," Nero says. "She has been in six fights in the past twenty-four hours, four of which ended with someone dying. And, given our decision to stay in London, we know that there are more fights on the horizon. Let her rest while she can."

"Okay, I'll stop it with the peanuts," Kelly says.

"We need to find a place to hide out for a few nights, where we can rest and figure out our next step," Nero says.

"We can't go back to the dormitory, it'll be swarming with cops," Kan says.

"The same can be said for my hotel room," Nero says. "Mr. Zuko, do you live in London?"

"I do, but my place won't work," Kelly says.

"Why not?"

"You know how I said when Woodstock's began this boxer dude attacked me?" Kelly says. "Well, he attacked me in my apartment. Tore the door off the hinges, destroyed all the furniture, tossed me through a window. Thankfully, I landed in my car and was able to drive away before he killed me."

"That is unfortunate," Nero says. "I'd hate to sleep in the convertible tonight, especially considering the rainstorm."

"I mean, we can probably stay here for a few hours," Kan says.

"If you want to stay, you're going to have to order something," Alabama Song shouts from the bar.

"Okay, going forward, no more mentioning fleeing from the police in front of the bartender," Kelly whispers.

Nero backflips out of his chair and orders a few drinks. Song hands him two bottles of beer and a club soda on a circular tray. Nero walks back, balancing the tray on his finger. He spins it before throwing it into the air.

Nero rolls forward, catching both beers in his hands. The glass of club soda lands on his chin. "That was both amazing and completely pointless," Kan says as she takes her beer.

Kelly takes his beer and tries to open it. Emphasis on try. He strains himself to open the beer. "Need some help?" Nero asks.

"No, I've got it," Kelly mutters.

Kelly taps the bottle with his glove and red sparks shoot out of his fingers, loosening the top. Kelly smiles as he finally undoes the top. Then the beer explodes out and sprays him in the face.

"You, uh, must have shook it up when you through it in the air," Kelly mutters.

"I am sorry," Nero says.

Nero touches his soda with the palm of his hand. Using **Hamon **energy to bind the soda together, Nero pulls a long strip of liquid out of his glass. He moves the liquid over his head and releases it, sending it tumbling straight down his gullet.

The tavern door opens and a woman in her thirties walks in. She wears a conservative yellow dress, soaking wet, and had shoulder-length blonde hair. She clutches a broken arm. Her nose has been broken, and one of her white heels is missing.

"Why is everyone who comes into my bar tonight gravely injured?" Alabama Song mutters to herself.

The injured woman sits down next to Nero. Nero looks at her arm and notices a silver bracelet on her wrist. "Hello Nero," the woman says. "I need your help."

Back at the airport, a firefighter sifts through the wreckage. He finds a charred suitcase with a large hole in the center. He has no reason to care about the suitcase, or at the very least he shouldn't care. But, for some reason, he is drawn to the suitcase.

He pulls it from the wreckage and opens it. Amongst the ashes of burned clothing, the firefighter finds three silver bracelets and a rusty arrow.

The firefighter picks up one of the bracelets and places it on his hand. Spikes shoot out of the bracelet, piercing the firefighter's coat and embedding in his flesh. He screams and struggles to pull it off. That's when he hears it, the ringing.

A cellphone sits among the wreckage, by some twist of fate spared by the crash. The firefighter picks up the phone and answers it.

"Hello there, Jefferson," the distorted voice on the other end of the line says.

"How do you know my name?" the firefighter asks.

"I know many things, Jefferson. I know that you're a good person. A person who saves people."

"Uh-huh."

"Do you see that arrow in the suitcase, Jefferson? You can feel the power flowing from it. Power that can help you save people, Jefferson."

Jefferson glances at the arrow sitting in the open suitcase. "I don't understand any of this," Jefferson says.

"Don't worry, Jefferson. You don't need to understand anything. That's my job."

Jefferson picks up the arrow and stabs it in his shoulder.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 21: Summer Nights and Eye of the Tiger, Part 1


	21. Chapter 21: Eye of the Tiger, Part 1

**Chapter 21: Summer Nights and Eye of the Tiger, Part 1**

Her name is Sandra Dee. She's a young archeologist visiting London for a conference. At first glance, there are very few noteworthy things about Sandra Dee. At second glance, there are even fewer noteworthy things about Sandra Dee. But, upon a third glance, one might notice the scar on her leg.

This scar was received five years ago, when the Speedwagon Foundation, an organization she has worked with for years, gave her a **Stand **to help her with her work. This **Stand **is one of the only noteworthy things about Sandra Dee. Mind you, it isn't a very powerful **Stand**. Still, this **Stand **is noteworthy because it one of only a handful of **Stands **in London. Said handful of **Stands **becomes smaller with each passing day.

A few days ago, Sandra woke up in her hotel room with a bad bump on her head, a hazy recollection of the past day, a silver bracelet wrapped around her ankle leg, and a tape recorder sitting in her hand. The distorted voice on the tape explained to her that a man named Woodstock was giving these bracelets to various **Stand Users** in London in an attempt to find the strongest **Stand User**. In the days since then, Sandra hasn't run into any other **Stand Users**.

Sandra walks down a rainy street, carrying a paper sack full of groceries. If she'd known it was going to rain, she'd have brought an umbrella. She stops on a street corner to wait for the crosswalk light and glances at a store window.

Shelves full of wine bottles sit on the other side of the Liquor Store window. Sandra Dee gags; she's never been able to stand the taste of alcohol. Sandra Dee glances at her reflection. That's when she sees him, a man standing on the other side of the seat, staring back at her through her reflection.

She turns around and gets a better look at the man. He's a bulky man, 6'3 and at least 250 pounds. He has tanned skin and a horseshoe mustache. He wears a red tank top and black gym shorts. He's in his forties and his brown hair, which he keeps tied up in a red bandana, is beginning to turn grey. His fists are covered in exercise tape and his arms and face are covered in scars.

His arms are crossed as he stares Sandra down. "How long has it bee, Fleetwood?" Sandra Dee asks.

"A few years, I'd wager," the large man, Fleetwood, replies.

"What brings you to town? Business, or-"

"Pleasure."

"What kind of pleasure?"

"I'm in town for a fight."

Sandra places her groceries on the ground. "By fight, do you mean a boxing match?" she asks.

"Not exactly," Fleetwood says. He uncrosses his arms and points at Sandra. "What happened to your arm?"

Sandra looks down at her arm. It's been hastily wrapped in bandages, bandaged that barely cover the silver band around her wrist. Sandra puts her hand behind her back. She looks back at Fleetwood. Now that his arms are uncrossed, she can see the silver bracelet with a red gem around his wrist. "Those bandages, they're hiding something, aren't they?" Fleetwood asks.

"Please, Fleetwood, I don't want to do this," she pleads.

"It kinda looks like you're wearing a silver bracelet, kinda like mine. Which is interesting, because an hour ago I received a phone call telling me I'd find someone with the same bracelet as me at this street corner. Hell of a coincidence, isn't it, Sandra?"

Sandra sighs and raises her fists to protect her face. A bus roars down the street separating the duo, temporarily blocking Sandra's view of Fleetwood. When the bus is gone, so is Fleetwood.

An orb resembling a cross between a beach ball and an eyeball appears next to Sandra Dee. The orb flies high into the air and scans the area around Sandra Dee, searching for Fleetwood Mac.

Through her **Stand**, Sandra spots Fleetwood holding on to the side of the bus. Fleetwood climbs on top of the bus and runs across its roof. As he reaches the edge, a spectral figure appears before him. Fleetwood jumps off of the bus, his **Stand **amplifying his strength.

His Stand is tall, even taller than him, with bulging muscles covered in bulbous veins. The Stand's skin is covered in black and gold stripes, and a single crystal eye sits in the middle of its forehead. Claw like spikes protrude out of the Stand's fists, closely resembling tiger claws.

Fleetwood lands next to Sandra. His **Stand **brings its fists down, narrowly missing Sandra. It slams its fists into the ground with enough force to shatter the stone beneath. Sandra's **Stand**, the orb, flies down at Fleetwood. His **Stand **punches it, sending it flying into the street.

"Tell me, do you remember what my **Stand **does?" Fleetwood asks.

"It's a powerful close-range **Stand**," Sandra says.

"No, it's the powerful close-range **Stand**," Fleetwood says. "A rank power, A rank speed, A rank precision. **Eye of the Tiger** is an even better boxer than I am."

"I haven't forgotten."

"Your **Stand**, **Summer Nights**, is best used for scouting, right? That's a shame, I was hoping I'd get a good fight today."

Just then, Fleetwood hears a rushing sound coming from the street. Sandra's **Stand**, **Summer Nights**, flies at him faster than the eye can see. The **Stand **crashes into his shoulder, giving Sandra a window to escape. Her **Stand **flies after her.

Fleetwood cracks his neck. "That's right, the beach ball can fly pretty fast," he mumbles. "Perhaps this fight will be better than I expected."

Fleetwood's Stand, **Eye of the Tiger**, punches the liquor store window. Shards of glass crash down onto the sidewalk in front of Sandra. She leaps, landing on **Summer Nights**, who carries her quickly down the road.

Fleetwood leaps over his broken glass trap, clearing it in a single bound. As he flies through the air, **Eye of the Tiger** reaches down and picks up a shard of broken glass. When Fleetwood lands the **Stand **throws the glass at Sandra, hitting her in the shoulder and creating a large bloodstain on her white jacket.

Sandra, still riding on **Summer Nights**, rounds a corner, disappearing from Fleetwoods vision. By the time Fleetwood rounds the corner, Sandra Dee has disappeared into a large crowd of people. Fleetwood closes his eyes and scans the crowd with his **Stand's **eye. None of the pedestrians are riding on a Stand, but one is wearing a bloody white jacket.

"Got you," Fleetwood says before leaping at the person in the raincoat. He tackles them to the ground and lifts them by the neck. He frowns; the person he's holding isn't Sandra Dee. Rather, he is an old man who is extremely confused about the whole 'lifted by his neck' thing.

"Where did you get that coat?" Fleetwood shouts.

"That woman, she gave me twenty pounds to wear it for a few minutes," the old man says while pointing down the street.

Fleetwood turns to see Sandra Dee hiding behind a trashcan near a bus stop. He pulls his arm back, summons his **Stand**, and chucks the elderly man at Sandra.

Sandra crawls to her feet and looks down at the old man, who is now unconscious. "That was a waste of money," she mumbles.

Fleetwood charges at Sandra. As he runs, he rips a street lamp from the ground with his **Stand**. Summer Nights flies at him and he swings the streetlamp down, embedding the **Stand **in the ground. Summer Nights bounces back, slamming into Fleetwood's face.

Summer Nights spins around and flies back down at Fleetwood. He jumps back and hits it with the pole, knocking it away. "God, that thing's starting to get on my nerves," he says.

"My **Stand **isn't very powerful, but it does have one dangerous ability," Sandra Dee yells. "The harder you knock it away, the harder it comes back."

As she says this, **Summer Nights** comes roaring back. Fleetwood drops the streetlamp and jumps; the **Stand **flies under his legs. The **Stand **crashes into Sandra Dee, sending her flying away from Fleetwood. More specifically, it sends her flying onto the top deck of a red double-decker bus, a bus that arrived during Sandra and Fleetwood's fight and is about to drive away.

Fleetwood jumps onto the side of the moving bus. Summer Nights flies down and hits him in the head, causing him to lose his grip and tumble into the street. The bus drives away, taking Sandra Dee with it.

Sandra sits down on the bus and catches her breath for a few minutes. After a few minutes, the bus drives over an old bridge. In the distance, she sees Big Ben. Eight chimes ring out as the minute hand completes a rotation.

When the chimes end, Sandra Dee hears the sound of a roaring engine, loud enough to drown out the other vehicles. Her **Stand **flies behind the bus, looking out for Fleetwood. It sees him driving behind the bus on a stolen motorcycle.

Summer Nights flies down the bus's stairs and bursts through the back window, sending shards of glass into the motorcycle's path. **Eye of the Tiger** reaches down and quickly picks up all of the glass shards. It throws them at Sandra Dee. Her Stand flies up, blocking the flying glass shards. **Summer Nights**, now covered in broken glass, flies into the motorcycle's front tire, popping it.

Fleetwood pulls the motorcycle into a wheelie and hops up onto the handlebars. His leaps forward, landing on the bus's top deck, and punches Sandra Dee.

She flies off the bus and crashes into the bridge, landing on her arm at a weird angle. Fleetwood leaps off and lands next to her. "I gotta say, Sandra, you gave me a better fight than I expected," Fleetwood says. "But, I'm afraid this fight is over."

**Summer Nights** flies at him. Without breaking his stride, Fleetwood smashes **Summer Nights** with **Eye of the Tiger**, sending it into the river. Fleetwood grabs Sandra's broken arm, the one covered in bandages, and rips them off so he can get to the silver bracelet. But, once the bandages are gone, he discovers that the silver object he saw beneath the bandages wasn't a bracelet at all. It is a watch.

"Where's the bracelet?" he asks.

"Please Fleetwood, I don't have one of Woodstock's bracelets," Sandra pleads.

"I don't want to kill you, Sandra. Tell me where the bracelet is and I'll let you go with only minor permanent disfigurement."

"Okay, fine. The bracelet is over there," Sandra says while pointing off the bridge.

**Summer Nights** flies faster the more resistance it faces. Earlier, Fleetwood punched it as hard as he could, sending it into the river. The force of the punch,, combined with the pressure from the bottom of the river, imbued **Summer Nights** with incredible speed and power. It bursts from the river, breaking the sound barrier in the process, and slams into Fleetwood Mac and knocking him back.

Fleetwood crawls to his feet. He's injured, but his **Stand **protected him enough for him to keep fighting. He looks around. Sandra Dee is gone.

He stumbles over to the edge of the bridge and looks down at the river. In the distance, he sees Sandra floating in the river, clutching her **Stand **to keep aloft.

Fleetwood smiles. "I await our rematch, Sandra Dee!" he shouts

Chapter 22:

Summer Nights and Eye of the Tiger, Part 2

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Summer Nights

**Dub Name:** Summer Loving

**User:** Sandra Dee

**Namesake:** "Summer Nights" (Song from the musical Grease)

**Appearance: **Summer Nights is a spherical Stand closely resembling a white and yellow beach ball with a single large eye.

**Abilities: **Summer Nights is capable of flying at high speeds and over long distances. This speed, combined with its single eye that has incredibly accurate vision, makes Summer Nights a top-notch scouting Stand. Summer Nights has little combat ability. Summer Nights has the ability to copy the energy inflicted from enemy attacks and release double the amount of energy to fly faster.

****Stats:******Power-E, Speed-B, Range: B, Durability-A, Precision-C, Potential-D**


	22. Chapter 22: Eye of the Tiger, Part 2

Holly Joestar-Zeppeli sits in her office. Her large desk has been covered in a plastic tarp. A stack of printer paper sits on the side of the desk, next to a paintbrush and a large inkwell. Holy removes her watch and wedding ring, pulls back her sleeves, and activates her **Stand**.

Her eyes roll back into her skull and her fingers begin to twitch. Her long blonde comes to life and wraps around her face, tying together like the bandages of a mummy. Holly's hair glows and an eye made of smoke appears in front of her face.

By now, Holly's mind has gone completely blank. Without thinking, Holly grabs the paintbrush, dips it into the inkwell, and begins. She rips a piece of paper from the stack and strikes it again and again with the ink soaked brush.

After seven strikes, Holly sets the paper down and grabs another piece from the stack. She repeats this process until ten inkblots sit in front of her. Then, the trance ends. Holly's hair unwraps, her eyes roll back, and she is finally able to see what her vision has wrought.

The second she sees the inkblots, she pulls out her phone and calls her father. She'll need his help to decide her next action.

Holly's **Stand **is a strange one. Unlike those of her son and niece, it doesn't grant her the ability to summon a powerful warrior. No, her **Stand **doesn't even have a physical form. It is a **Stand **bound to her mind, a **Stand **that allows her to enter a trance.

The inkblots Holly creates during her trance show people and objects that are doomed to misfortune. Not necessarily destruction, but definitely chaos and strife. Strife that is, more often than not, linked to **Stand Users**.

The inkblots are rarely easy to interpret. Holly has gotten better with practice, but it still can take her weeks to discover what her **Stand **is warning her about. Sometimes, her **Stand **shows her objects that are completely destroyed. In these cases, the destined doom is so great that it cannot be averted. In these cases, there is nothing Holly can do but wait for the destruction.

Once, her **Stand **showed her an image of a plane crash. Holly stayed up for four days, trying to find some clue to tell her which plane was going to crash. She failed; the plane crashed into the ocean, killing hundreds of innocent people.

Still, there are times when her **Stand **has been useful. Once, she created an inkblot showing a large cruise ship. With the help of the Speedwagon Foundation, she was able to find the right ship and stop the **Stand User** attempting to sink it. And, although she failed to stop the plane crash, she did prevent any of her loved ones from flying for a few weeks. As it turns out, her father would have been on the plane that crashed, if not for her involvement.

Joseph "Joe" Joestar, father of Holly and former head of the Speedwagon Foundation, looks over the inkblots. "Were these all made during the same trance?" he asks.

"Yes, they were," Holly says.

"Shit. Normally we only get three or four. But this many? What could it mean?"

"It means something big is coming."

Joe glances over the inkblots again. There are ten of them; the Tower, the Map, the Snowflake, the Clock, the Eye, the Wheel, the Storm, the Skull, the Bell, and one other. One that Joseph can't stop looking at. A drawing of a young woman, a woman he hasn't seen in years but still recognizes.

"It's Johana," he mutters.

Holly nods. "This inkblot is much more detailed than the others," she says.

"Is that bad?"

"I don't know. All I know is that there are dark days lying in Johana's future."

Joe runs his fingers through his beard. "Well, we can't just sit back and do nothing," he says. "Let's go get her."

"I don't think that will go as well as you think," Holly says.

"Why not? We know where she lives."

"We know where she lives because we've spent the last five years tracking her every move without her knowledge. Against her consent, I might add. How do you think this is going to go, Joseph? Do you really think we can just walk up, tell her she's in danger, and expect her to finally come home?"

"If we can't convince her, we'll just have to force her."

"Oh yes, beating her unconscious is a wonderful solution."

"I was thinking horse tranquilizers, actually."

"Regardless, shipping her across the ocean against her will only damage our already strained relationship."

"She's family, Holly. She's Joshua's daughter-"

"Which is why I would prefer a solution that doesn't involve drugs or violence."

Joe taps his cane on the floor impatiently as he thinks of a solution. "Nero," he suddenly shouts. "She likes Nero, right? We can send Nero to get her."

Holly sighs. "It isn't the worst idea, and is certainly better than your previous solutions," she says.

She pulls out her phone and dials her son's cell phone. From the other side of her office door, she hears a mid 2000s pop rock song. Her son's ringtone. She sighs.

Nero slowly opens the door and pokes his head in. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and answers it. "Hello?" he says.

Holly snaps her phone shut. "I assume you've heard everything while eavesdropping?" she asks.

"I wasn't, uh, eavesdropping," Nero lies. "I was just leaning against the door, waiting for Grandfather Joe to be done talking to you. I didn't hear any of his bad ideas about beating up Johana-"

Holly raises her hand and Nero stops talking. "So, Johana's in trouble?" he asks.

"Not yet, but she will be soon. I need you to go to London and convince her to come home," Holly says. "Now then, that leaves the question of who shall accompany you. Your father is in Japan right now, so he's out. Julius is in France, he should be able to travel to London as soon as he finishes up his business there."

"Do we have any agents in London right now?" Joe asks.

"Fleetwood McVie is, I believe. I'll reach out to him and see if he can join up with Nero once he lands."

"I do not think that will be necessary," Nero says. "If Johana won't want to talk to me alone, she especially will not want to speak to me and several Speedwagon Foundation men. I was actually hoping that you would let me go alone this time."

Holly sighs. "Nero, there is a storm hanging over London. You can't handle this alone," she says. "As soon as you find Johana, you are to take her to the airport and put her on the first flight to New York. Once Johana is safe, you are to wait for Julius and Fleetwood to arrive and take over. If you encounter the enemy **Stand User**, you are to run away and hide. Understood?"

"Understood," Nero says.

Sandra Dee slouches down next to Nero. She looks like shit; her face is bloodied from her fight with Fleetwood and she clutches her broken arm. "Want us to order you a drink?" Kan asks.

"No, but thank you for offering," Sandra says. "I don't mean to intrude, the four of you seem to be having an important conversation. But, like I said, I need your help."

"What happened to you?" Nero asks.

"Fleetwood attacked me for my bracelet. I barely got away with my life. Fortunately," she says as she pulls down the long white socks covering her ankles and revealing a silver bracelet, "He didn't manage to get it."

"Hey Nero, could you explain who this strange woman who just walked in here and asked for our help is?" Kelly asks.

"This is Sandra Dee, she works for my family's organization," Nero says.

"I'm an archeologist," Sandra says. "A few years back, Nero and his uncle protected me while I investigated some Aztec Ruins. Much like yourself, I've had the misfortune to get myself mixed up in Woodstock's game."

"This Fleetwood guy, I assume he's also a part of this game?" Kan asks.

"He is," Nero says. He sighs. "He too is a member of the Foundation. Sandra and I have both worked with him in the past. I had hoped that Mr. McVie would be an ally during our battles, but it seems he has decided upon a different path."

"I'm not surprised," Sandra says. "Fleetwood has always loved a good fight, both during his career as a boxer and during his time with the Foundation. Having a dozen **Stand Users** to take on must be a dream come true."

"Wait, did you say that Fleetwood's a boxer? Because if he is, then he's the asshole who destroyed my apartment!" Kelly says. "Shit, that guy's really strong."

"We can take him. We've already taken out four **Stand Users**, five if we count you, and shouldn't have any trouble taking out a sixth."

"You've taken out five **Stand Users**?" Sandra asks. "I assumed you'd faced some conflict already, but I didn't know you'd faced so much. My god, you must have half of the bracelets right now."

"Yeah, about that," Kan says. "We kinda forgot a few of them at the airport."

"How many do you have?" Sandra asks.

"Let's see, Johana has one, Kelly has one-"

"And we also have this one," Kelly says as he pulls Sydney Young's bracelet out of his pocket and places it on the table.

Nero walks over to the bar and convinces the bartender to give him a towel. He uses it to create a sling for Sandra Dee's arm. "Thank you," she says.

"Fleetwood really did a number on you, didn't he?" Nero asks.

"He did. Look, I know that I am not strong enough to defeat him. But, when Woodstock called me and told me you were hiding out in this bar, I realized that you might be able to beat him."

"We'll do it," Nero says.

"We will?" Kelly asks.

"We will."

Just then, the door to the bar is knocked off its hinges. Fleetwood Mac stomps into the bar, his **Stand **floating behind him. "You can run, Sandra Dee, but you can't hide," he shouts.

Nero and Kan jump to their feet and summon their own **Stands**. Fleetwood puts his hands up. "Oh, you've found yourself some friends," he says. "Well, I'm not foolish enough to try and take on multiple foes at once."

"Then leave," Kan says.

"Come on, Sandra. Don't be a coward. All I want is a simple one on one fight. There's no need to involve these people."

"We're already part of it," Nero says.

Fleetwood glances at the table. He sees Johana sleeping and Kelly hiding. More importantly, he sees the bracelets around Johana and Kelly's wrists. "Oh, I see. You teamed up with other competitors," he says. "Tell you what, I don't have to fight Sandra tonight. I can take on one of you and save Sandra for later."

"If you want a one on one fight, you can fight me," Nero says.

"You don't have a bracelet, kid," Fleetwood says. "I'm not killing someone who isn't part of the game. I wouldn't be opposed to taking on the coward hiding under the table, though."

"No thanks, I'd rather keep hiding," Kelly whimpers.

"Okay, so that leaves the sleeping girl," Fleetwood says.

"Your opponent will be me," Nero shouts.

"I told you, I'm not going to fight someone without a bracelet-"

Nero walks over to the table and grabs Young's bracelet. He places it on his wrist and feels the spikes stab into his skin. "How about now?" he asks.

Fleetwood laughs. "All right, Nero, I like the cut of your gib," he says. "We can have our duel tomorrow at dawn, at the Southbank of the Thames."

Nero walks up Fleetwood and cracks his knuckles. "You're on," he says.

To be continued in:

Chapter 23: Summer Nights and Eye of the Tiger, Part 3

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Blonde on Blonde

**Dub Name:** Inkblot Visions

**User:** Holly Joestar-Zeppeli

**Namesake:** "Blonde on Blonde" (Bob Dylan Album)

**Appearance: **N/A

**Abilities: **Blonde on Blonde allows Holly to enter a trance. During this trance, Holly creates inkblot paintings showing people and objects that are destined to face chaos and strife in the near future.

****Stats:******Power-N/A, Speed-N/A, Range: N/A, Durability-N/A, Precision-C, Potential-C**


	23. Chapter 23: Eye of the Tiger, Part 3

Chapter 23: Summer Nights and Eye of the Tiger, Part 3

Sandra Dee, Kan Nijimura, and Nero Zeppeli stand on the grey sand at the shore of the Thames. Small black waves crash into each other as the wind stirs up the stream. It's early in the morning and the sun has barely risen over the tall buildings of London.

Sandra Dee's **Stand**, **Summer Nights**, flies above the beach, keeping an eye out for Fleetwood Mac. "Any sign of him?" Kan asks.

"Not yet," Sandra says. She looks at Nero. "Thank you, by the way, for fighting for me."

Nero rubs the bracelet covering his newly punctured wrist. "I need no thanks, miss Dee," he says. "To fight for those who cannot fight themselves, that is an ideal I will gladly stand for."

"I don't get why you have to do this alone," Kan says. "There were five of us in that bar, we would have stood a better shot together."

"Perhaps. But, at the end of the day, Fleetwood is an old friend. I would rather face him in a fair duel than in a rowdy bar fight," Nero says. He sighs. "Fleetwood isn't a bad person. At least, I don't think so."

"Not to be rude, but he did try to kill me yesterday," Sandra says.

"Fleetwood lives to fight, to defeat powerful opponents in battle. He may not be a hero, but there is a nobility in his pursuit of strength," Nero says. "I can sympathize with him, to an extent."

"Oh?" Sandra says.

"There is something great about **Stand Battles**. To put everything on your line, to test your strength and your wits and your determination, I think that is something worthy of respect. Even though I obviously am not thrilled about the threat to my life, I would be lying if I said I found no enjoyment in these battles," Nero says. He sighs. "Might I make a confession?"

"What?" Kan asks.

"Looking back on my recent actions, I must admit that my choices have put us in danger. I think that I have, perhaps subconsciously, steered us towards strife. For that, I am sorry."

"What are you talking about?"

"When my mother sent me to London, I was explicitly ordered to avoid fights as much as possible. I was supposed to grab Johana and leave the country. But, I did not do that. I personally tracked down Rabbit James with the intention of fighting him. At the hospital, I chose to stay and try to stop Mylo's **Stand **instead of leaving with you and Johana. And now, choosing to fight Fleetwood-"

"Dude, stop beating yourself up over wanting to fight," Kan says. "You saved me from Jimmy, you saved a hospital full of people from Mylo's **Stand**, and right now you're trying to save Sandra Dee from Fleetwood. It's okay to pursue fights if you fight for a good reason."

"Perhaps," Nero says. "But still, I feel you overestimate the nobility of my decisions. There is another reason I have fought, one even greater than my desire to help people. I have fought to prove myself to my family."

"What do you need to prove to them, you're great."

"I appreciate the compliment, but my history proves otherwise. I have a tendency to...screw things up. For example, Sandra Dee, could you tell Kan about how we met?"

"I was investigating a temple in Mexico that the Speedwagon Foundation believed was connected to the Stone Masks-" Sandra begins.

"Stone Masks?" Kan interjects.

"Magic masks that turn people into vampires. The Speedwagon Foundation destroyed most of them a few years ago," Sandra says. "The ruins were abandoned. But, because of the risk of vampires, the Foundation sent Fleetwood, Julius, and Nero with me for my protection."

"It was my first mission," Nero says. "I was so excited. Ensnared by the foolishness of youth, I accidentally stepped on a pressure plate."

"The pressure plate set off a trap and the temple collapsed. Fleetwood and Julius saved us, but it could have gone much worse," Sandra says. "But Nero, that wasn't your fault. Any of us could have set off that trap."

"But only one of us did. And that was not the final time something like that happened. Take the past few days, for instance. I lost to Rabbit James, failed to save Mylo, missed the fight with Vuitton, needed your help to beat Kelly, and did next to nothing in the fight with Sydney Young. Every single time I have ever gone on a mission, I have screwed it up in some way. This is the first solo mission I have ever been granted, and I was only given the assignment by lying to my mother."

"Well, if you want to prove yourself, now's your chance," Sandra Dee says. "**Summer Nights** just spotted Fleetwood."

Johana yawns and opens crusty eyes. She's lying in the backseat of Kelly's car, an old blanket draped over her. The car is parked on a pier near the beach where Nero and Fleetwood fight. Kelly sits in on the hood of the car, humming along to the song on the radio.

Johana jumps to her feet. Her **Stand **appears and grabs Kelly's throat. "What's going on? Where am I? Who are you?" Johana screams **Twisted Sister** lifts Kelly into the air.

"Okay, you don't remember the things that happened when you were asleep," Kelly wheezes. "Choking answers out of me is a bit of a dick move, but whatever."

Johana tightens her grasp. "Nero got himself involved in a fight with an enemy **Stand User** and Kan went along for moral support," Kelly yells. "I volunteered to stay behind and guard you because I figured it would be safer, a decision that is seeming dumber with every passing moment!"

Johana narrows her eyes. "I know you, you're that guy who hit me with his car!" Johana shouts.

"Yes, that was me. But I'm not a bad guy anymore, remember? Oh god, you don't remember me switching sides," Kelly says. "I helped fight Sydney Young and started fighting alongside you guys out because I felt bad about the whole attempted vehicular manslaughter thing. Wait, is it still vehicular manslaughter if you do it on purpose? Whatever, the point is I'm good now, so you can stop choking me!"

Johana drops Kelly. "Where are Kan and Nero?" she asks.

"They're down on the beach-"

Johana jumps out of the car and runs towards the beach. "Where are you going?" Kelly shouts.

"I'm going to go help my friends!" Johana shouts back.

Kelly sighs and runs after her.

A muscular man with a horseshoe moustache, covered in scars and wearing a faded bandana, walks down the beach towards Nero. "I'm glad you showed up, kid," he shouts as he summons his **Stand**, **Eye of the Tiger**.

"Stay back and allow me to handle this," Nero says as he walks away from Sandra and Kan. **Viva La Vida** appears at his side.

Nero and Fleetwood stand ten paces away from one another, **Stands **floating at their sides. "This'll be a simple one on one duel," Fleetwood says. "We go until one of us taps out or goes limp."

"If I win, I request that you cease harassment of myself or my group," Nero says.

"And if I win?"

Nero sighs. "You may cut this bracelet from my arm," he says.

Fleetwood smiles and pulls off his bandana. He throws it into the air. "The fight'll start when the bandana touches the ground," he says.

Nero raises his fists and grits his teeth. Fleetwood laughs. "You've grown, kid," he says. "Let's see how much."

The bandana flutters down and lands in the sand. The instant it touches the floor, Nero and Fleetwood leap forward and start attacking. Both of their **Stands **throw punch after punch, knocking away each other's blows. The two fighters scream with each thrown punch.

"VIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVA!"

"ROKIROKIROKIROKIROKIROKI!"

A punch slips through Nero's defences, striking him in the nose and sending him flying back. "Not bad, kid, but it'll take a lot more to take me down," Fleetwood says.

Nero crawls to his feet and swings at Fleetwood with **Viva La Vida**. **Eye of the Tiger** catches this punch and strikes Nero's **Stand **in the stomach. Nero coughs blood as Fleetwood throws him over his head.

Nero lands and charges at Fleetwood, unleashing another **Stand Rush**. Fleetwood sidesteps all of Nero's blows and punches him in the side of the face. Nero spins and falls to the ground.

Nero spits out a tooth. "You were clever, choosing this beach for our fight," he says. He places his hand on the ground and activates his decay ability, turning the sand into slightly finer sand. "My **Viva La Vida** can decay anything, but what's the point of decaying sand or water?"

"You knew the locale when you agreed to this fight," Fleetwood says. "It's not my fault you didn't think about the arena."

Without warning, Nero charges forward again. Fleetwood sighs and smashes Nero into the ground with a downward strike. "You know what your problem is, kid?" Fleetwood says as he walks away. "You don't think. You're obviously smart, you talk like a goddamn thesaurus, but you don't think. You can't win fights by just hitting people really really hard."

"I suppose you're right," Nero says as he crawls to his knees.

He places his hand on the beach, flooding the sand with **Hamon**. He stands up, holding a longsword of sand bound together by **Hamon **energy. He looks like a knight, the king that is his **Stand **floating next to him.

Fleetwood smiles. "Okay, now we're talking," he says.

Nero runs at Fleetwood before leaping into a slide. He swings the longsword at Fleetwood's legs. Fleetwood jumps over the blade right as Nero's **Stand **appears and unleashes a flurry of blows. Fleetwood's **Stand **appears and blocks them. Nero rises up and slashes Fleetwood across the chest.

Fleetwood leaps back. "Now things are getting interesting!" he shouts, a smile on his face.

Nero strikes the beach with **Viva La Vida**, creating a cloud of dust that obscures his vision. "Trying to keep me from seeing you?" Fleetwood asks.

"Not quite," Nero says as he floods the cloud with **Hamon**.

Parts of the cloud clump up into rocks, which **Viva La Vida** punches at Fleetwood. **Eye of the Tiger** strikes each of these rocks before they can hit him. "Good idea, but not good enough," Fleetwood says. "Those rocks are held together **Hamon**, they start to break down as soon as they leave your grasp. A simple strike from my **Stand **is enough to turn them back into sand."

As he says this, his **Stand **punches the latest rock. When the rock turns to sand, a small white object keeps moving, flying towards Fleetwood's skull like a bullet. It's the front tooth Nero spat out, decayed down into a sharpened spike.

Fleetwood moves his free hand as quick as he can, barely managing to catch the tooth before it hits him between the eyes. As he does this, Nero leaps out of the dust cloud, sword held above his head.

Nero brings the sword down on Fleetwood, who catches it with his real hands. **Viva La Vida** appears next to Nero and unleashes a flurry of blows. **Eye of the Tiger** does the same. This clash sends both fighters flying back.

Fleetwood tries to stand up but instead sinks into the sand beneath him. He turns to see Johana Joestar and Kelly Zuko running down the beach towards him. Lightning surrounds Kelly's hand, the product of his **Stand Greased Lightning**.

Johana summons her **Stand **and pulls her arm back to strike Fleetwood. A hand grabs her elbow. She sees Nero standing next to her, covered in blood, stopping her from taking out Fleetwood. "Don't," he says. "This is my fight."

"Nero, I'm not going to let this guy kill you," Johana says. "Let me knock him out."

"Please, Johana. Let me do this. Let me finish my fight."

"But-"

"I'm asking you to promise me, as a friend, that you'll let me handle this."

Johana sighs. "Fine," she says. She and Kelly walk over the Kan and Sandra to watch the fight.

Nero extends a hand and pulls Fleetwood out of the quicksand. "I like you, kid," Fleetwood says.

"Let's end this, the right way," Nero says.

The two walk ten paces away from one another. Nero stands, his Stand at his side, the river at his back. He pulls his beanie off and throws it in the air, revealing his messy blonde hair.

As the beanie lands on the grey sand, Fleetwood charges at Nero. Nero stands ready, his arms raised in a defensive position. Once again, the fighters unleash a flurry of blows on one another.

"VIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVAVIVA!"

"ROKIROKIROKIROKIROKIROKI!"

Fleetwood breaks through Nero's defence, knocking him back into the river. Nero strikes the water with **Viva La Vida**, splashing pillars of H2O into the air. "Trying to blind me won't work, kid!" Fleetwood shouts. Fleetwood charges into the water and strikes Nero in the stomach, sending him flying back.

As he flies, Nero punches the river with **Viva La Vida**, using the **Stand's** fist to slow himself down. He lands in the center of the river and drops beneath the waves.

Nero pops his head out and gasps for air. Fleetwood stands at the edge of the river, where the water is only deep enough to reach his knees. "It's been a good fight, but I think this'll be it," Fleetwood says. "There's nothing out here you can transform into a weapon."

"That is where you are wrong, Fleetwood," Nero shouts, his confidence restored. "You see, you have fallen into my final trap! This fight is over, yes, but you are mistaken on who the victor shall be."

"And what is this trap I've stumbled into?"

"You say there is nothing out here I can use, that is wrong. Everything decays, Fleetwood, even water. Earlier, when I struck the water to create those pillars, I wasn't trying to blind you. I was decaying the river!"

"What the hell does a water decay into?"

"Into its base components. Oxygen and Hydrogen. I decayed the molecular bonds of the water, turning it into O2 and Hydrogen gas. Wonderfully flammable Hydrogen gas."

Fleetwood realizes Nero's plan and begins to run out of the river. He isn't fast enough; Nero drops beneath the water, leaving only his hand out, and snaps, creating a spark within **Hamon**. The spark ignites the Hydrogen gas, traveling down the trail Nero left when he slowed himself down until it reaches the shore. All around Fleetwood the gas ignites, blowing him up.

Nero walks out of the river and picks up his beanie. He returns it to his head. Fleetwood's burnt body lays at the shore, limp. Nero nudges Fleetwood and he groans.

Fleetwood sits up, to injured to keep fighting. He smiles and starts laughing. "That was brilliant, kid!" he shouts. "Well done!"

"Thank you for giving me an opportunity to prove myself, Fleetwood," Nero says.

"Prove yourself? To who?"

"Me."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 24: The Wall, Part 1

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Eye of the Tiger

**Dub Name:** Tiger Eye

**User:** Fleetwood McVie

**Namesake:** "Eye of the Tiger" (Song by Survivor)

**Appearance: **Eye of the Tiger takes the form of a large, muscular man covered in black and gold stripes, with single crystal eye in the center of its forehead and tiger claws protruding out of its fists.

**Abilities: **Eye of the Tiger is an incredibly powerful close range Stand, with unmatched speed, strength, and precision. The limits of these abilities are dependent on the time, with Eye of the Tiger being strongest at dawn or sunset and weakest at noon or midnight.

****Stats:******Power-A, Speed-A, Range: D, Durability-B, Precision-A, Potential-B**


	24. Chapter 24: The Wall, Part 1

Chapter 24: The Wall, Part 1

"I still think this is a bad idea," Kelly says.

"Really? You hadn't mentioned it," Johana snarks.

Johana and her trio of companions sit in the convertible, which is parked in front of a large brick townhouse. It's a few hours after the quartet departed from the beach and Nero is still covered in bruises. "We should be finding a place to lie low, to wait until the number of enemy **Stand Users** is small before we start looking for fights," Kelly says.

"We're in London to prevent Woodstock's **Stand Users** from endangering innocent lives. Laying low kinda defeats the purpose," Johana says.

"We don't know anything about this guy! What if he's strong enough to instakill all of us?"

"In the phone call, Woodstock said that our next fight would be against Floyd. Look, I'm not thrilled about taking orders from Woodstock, but at least we're in control this time."

Nero browses the internet on his cell phone. A cell phone that, one hour earlier, received a call from Woodstock. In the aforementioned call, Woodstock congratulated Nero on his victory over Fleetwood Mac and told him that his next fight would be against a **Stand User** named Floyd and that Nero could find Floyd at a townhouse. The townhouse Johana's group now sits in front of.

"Listen, we don't even know that Floyd wants to fight," Johana says. "Maybe he's like you or Mylo or Sandra Dee, and was forced into this game. If we talk to him before Woodstock manipulates him into going after us, we may be able to convince him to ally with us."

"Fine, but I'm going to haunt you if Floyd kills me," Kelly says.

Johana turns to Kan. "How's the scouting going?" she asks.

"I had Dora fly around the house a few times," Kan says. "I didn't see anything, but..."

"But?"

"This place creeps me out. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this place. It feels like death."

Johana looks up at the townhouse. It's a large, rectangular building made of bone-white bricks, with a black roof and doorway. There is only a single window on the house, sitting in the center of the second floor and covered by drawn curtains. Johana can feel the menace that pours through the cracks of the house's bricks.

"Okay, it's haunted. That's as good a reason as any to drive away," Kelly says.

"What are you talking about? I can't wait to explore this place!" Kan says. "A creepy old house that may or may not be haunted? Sounds like a fun afternoon."

Kelly groans. Johana hops over to the front seat and taps Nero on the shoulder. "Find anything about this guy online?" she asks.

"Assuming that the Floyd Woodstock speaks of is the Pink Floyd from Vuitton's notes, then yes," Nero says. "I found a few newspaper articles about Mr. Floyd. He was a highly decorated soldier who disappeared from public eye two years ago."

Nero hands Johana the phone so she can look at a photo of Pink Floyd. He's young, thirty at most, with pink hair and a single golden tooth. "I have not found any information that points to him being a **Stand User**," Nero says, "But I did find his address."

"Let me guess, it's the house we've been staring at?" Johana asks.

"Of course," Nero says.

Johana hops out of the convertible. "Let's go meet Mr. Floyd," she says.

Kan and Nero hop out and follow Johana. Kelly stays in the car. "You know, I think I'm good out here," he says. "We need someone to watch the car, you know?" Nero laughs and grabs Kelly. He hoists Kelly over his shoulder and drags him with him.

Johana walks up the front steps of Floyd's house and knocks. No response comes. Johana sighs. "Kan," she says.

"On it!" Kan says. He **Stand**, the black and white hummingbird she calls **The Doors**, flies down and throws a key at the door. A hole appears on the door. Johana reaches in, unlocks the door, and pushes it open.

The inside of Floyd's house is strange. No paint or wallpaper covers the white brick walls. That isn't to say that the walls are blank; each brick is covered in a different crayon doodle. A tall black staircase sits in front of Johana, with a black door at its top and a pair of black doors perpendicular to its base.

Johana's group step into the strange home. "You know how I was worried that this place might be haunted?" Kelly asks. "Well, I don't have to worry about that anymore. This place is definitely haunted."

"Stop being a baby," Kan says. She opens one of the doors at the bottom of the steps, the one to the left of the front door. A small sitting room with a large piano sits on the other side of the door.

The room is filled with bookshelves and comfy chairs. A blue rug has been rolled over the room's brick floor. Kan walks over and taps a few keys on the piano. It makes a terrible noise, sounding like a screaming cat. "It's out of tune," Kan says.

The others walk around the sitting room. Kelly and Nero stare at the doodle covered brick walls. "Do you think that Pink Floyd drew these?" Kelly asks.

"No, I do not," Nero says. He places his hand on one of the doodles, a drawing of a little girl holding hands with an adult man. Both of the people in this drawing have pink hair. "Take a look at this drawing, it shows a man who I can only assume to be Pink Floyd with a young girl."

"Floyd has a kid," Kelly says.

"Good," Johana says. "Hopefully, he'll be opposed to attacking us in front of his child."

Johana and her friends walk back to the first room. Johana jiggles the knob on the door across from the sitting-room door. It's locked.

Kan places a hole on the door to reveal a brick wall sitting on the other side. "That's strange," she says.

Johana glances at the staircase. "Nowhere to go but up," she says.

As the group reaches the top of the staircase, Kelly trips and falls all the way back down, landing with his head sticking out the front door. "You okay?" Kan yells from the top of the stairs.

"I'm absolutely peachy!" Kelly yells back. He scurries back up the stairs.

Johana slowly opens the door at the top of the stairs. An open room with a mahogany table and a few chairs sits on the other side. Hundreds of crayons are spread haphazardly around the floor of the room. They crunch under Johana's feet as she steps inside.

A young girl with pink hair wearing a black dress sits at the table, drawing on a white brick. Nero glances at Johana. She shrugs her shoulders. Nero sighs. "Excuse me, young girl, would you have a moment to speak with us?" he asks. "I know that we are strangers who just broke into your home, but I assure you that we mean you no harm."

"Great introduction, Nero," Johana says.

The girl smiles, the corners of her mouth reaching all the way to her ears. "Oh, I would very much like to talk to you, mister," she says. "I so rarely get visitors."

Nero walks over and takes a seat at the table. Kelly slowly reaches into his pocket and grabs a nail. Johana smacks him. "What do you think you're doing?" she whispers.

"Haven't you ever seen, like, any horror movie?" Kelly whispers back. "We're in a haunted house and a creepy ghost girl just asked us to come closer! I'm protecting myself!"

"We aren't killing a child!"

"She isn't a child, she's a ghost!"

"Oh, I'm sure that will hold up in court!"

"Excuse me for not wanting to be murdered by a ghost!"

"Even if she was a ghost, and I'm not saying she is, what do you think throwing a nail at her will do? Ghosts are intangible!"

"Ghosts are weak to iron!"

"First off, you don't know that. Secondly, you don't know if she's a ghost!"

"Well, there's only one way to be sure," Kelly says, no longer whispering. "Excuse me, creepy little girl, are you a ghost? You have to tell me if you are, that's in the constitution."

"I'm not a ghost, dummy," the little girl says.

"I apologize for my friend's rudeness. Might you tell me your name?" Nero asks.

"My name is Camellia," the little girl says.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance, Carmellia," Nero says. "Tell me, is your father Mr. Floyd?"

"Uh-huh," Camellia says.

"Is your father home?" Kan asks.

"He's in the basement," Camellia says.

"Do you think he would be willing to speak with us?" Johana asks.

"You can try, but I don't know if he's in a talking mood," Camellia says. "He's in the basement, the door is to the left of the stairs."

"I thank you for being so cooperative, young Camellia," Nero says. "Kelly and I will go check the basement. Johana, Kan, would you mind staying with Camellia and asking her about her father?"

"Sure, we can do that," Kan says.

"Hold on, who said I want to go to the creepy basement with you?" Kelly asks.

"The alternative is staying up here with, oh, what was the word you used? Ah, yes, the creepy ghost girl," Johana says.

"You know, the basement actually doesn't sound that bad now that I think about it," Kelly says.

Nero and Kelly begin to walk down the stairs. Nero's foot slips. Instead of tumbling down the stairs, Nero leaps forward and spins through the air, gracefully landing at the bottom of the steps. He takes a bow. "Miss Floyd? If it is not too much trouble, could you tell your father to take a look at these stairs? I worry that someone without my grace could trip and hurt themselves," Nero yells.

Then Kelly comes tumbling down the stairs and crashes into him. "Someone like my friend Kelly," Nero mumbles from the floor.

Johana and Kan sit down next to Camellia. Johana glances at the white brick Camellia is scribbling on with a crayon. "What do you have there?" she asks.

"A brick," Camellia says.

"I can see that. I assume that you were the one who doodled all over the walls in this house?"

"Yep! The house wasn't painted when daddy built it, and he didn't want to pay painters, so he told me to color the walls. Do you like my drawings?"

"They're great. They, uh, give the house a very unique feel."

Kan taps Johana on the shoulder. She leans in and whispers in Johana's ear. "Not to be dramatic, but I love this adorable child and would die for her," she says.

Johana ignores her. "Camellia, would you mind telling us anything about your father?" she asks.

"Why do you want to know about daddy?" Camellia asks.

"Oh, well, you see, um," Johana mumbles.

"We're good friends of Pink and want to throw him a birthday party," Kan interjects. "Can you help us figure out what sort of thing he likes?"

"Daddy likes a lot of things," Camellia says. "He likes building things, he likes playing hide and seek, he likes reading me stories."

"He sounds like a good dad," Johana says.

"Uh-huh. At first, I was worried when mommy ran away, but things have been great now that it's just daddy and me," Camellia.

Johana and Kan glance at each other. "Camellia, is there anything...odd about your father?" Johana asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Do weird things ever happen around your father? Like, things being mysteriously fixed or destroyed, objects moving around on their own, rapid changes in temperature, that sort of thing. Does your father possess any abilities that other people don't?"

"I dunno. I don't really talk to a lot of other people besides daddy. You guys and your friends are the first people besides Woodstock to come here in a long time," Camellia says.

Johana's blood turns cold. "Woodstock has been here?" she asks.

"Uh-huh. Woodstock comes by every few weeks to check up on me and daddy, but doesn't ever stay for very long," Camellia says.

"Camellia, can you tell us what kind of person Woodstock is?" Johana asks.

"A mean one," Camellia says.

Nero pushes open the door to the left of the stairs. The door opens into a small kitchen. "That's odd," Nero says.

"What's odd?" Kelly asks.

"Nothing, just my mind playing tricks on me."

Kelly brushes past him. The kitchen contains a table, a stove, a countertop, and an assortment of cabinets. A window sits above the counter and a black door sits next to the stove. Kelly looks out the window. "Car's still okay, that's good," he says.

Nero opens the cabinets. "There is nothing but MREs in here," he says.

"MREs?"

"Meals Ready to Eat. Prepackaged military rations. Not very palatable, but long-lasting and simple to cook. There appears to be enough MREs here to feed the Floyds for months."

"Makes sense. You said this guy was ex-military, right?"

Nero glances out the window. "What's wrong?" Kelly asks.

"Do you ever get those feelings where you know something is wrong, but can not figure out why?" Nero says.

"Are you getting one of those feelings right now?"

"I am afraid I am. Something about this house doesn't sit well with me."

"Let's just find this Floyd guy and get out of here."

Nero rubs his chin. "I could have sworn Miss Floyd said the stairway to the basement was to the left of the stairs," he says.

Kelly kicks open the door by the stove, revealing a staircase going down into the earth, with a black wooden door at its bottom. "Kid probably meant the door to the basement was in the kitchen, that's all," Kelly says.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 25: The Wall, Part 2


	25. Chapter 25: The Wall, Part 2

"Do Woodstock and your father get along very well?" Johana asks.

"Yep! Woodstock was really nice to Daddy and stayed with him after the bad man hit Daddy really hard and Daddy had to stay in bed for a long time," Camellia says.

Kan and Johana give each other worried glances. "Camellia, you said that your father was hurt by the bad man. Did your father have to go to a hospital?" Kan asks.

"He said that he wanted to stay at home."

"But he's better now, right?" Kan asks.

Camellia shakes her head. "Okay, Floyd probably won't be a problem for Nero and Kelly, that's good," Kan whispers to Kan.

"Yeah, but we should probably make sure he's alright. I don't want this little girl growing up without a father," Johana whispers.

Nero and Kelly lie in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. "I hate this place's staircases," Kelly mumbles.

Nero sits up and wipes off the dust from his fall. He looks up the stairs at the bright yellow doorway of the kitchen. As he stares up at it, the door slams shut. The door at the bottom of the stairs opens. A small sitting room with a large piano sits on the other side of the door. The room is filled with bookshelves and comfy chairs. A red rug has been rolled over the room's brick floor.

"This is...weird," Kelly says. "Didn't they have a room just like this one on the first-floor?"

Nero walks over to the piano and plays a few notes. It makes a terrible noise, sounding like a screaming cat. "The piano sounds the same as the one on the first-floor," Nero says.

Kelly looks down at the rug. "No, it isn't exactly the same. The one on the first-floor had a blue rug, and this one is red," he says.

Nero reaches down and flips a corner of the rug over, revealing that the opposite side is blue. "We are in the same room as earlier," Nero says.

"What? No, that was on the first-floor, to the right of the stairs. We went into the kitchen, which was on the first-floor, then down a flight of stairs-"

Nero points at one of the bricks on the room's wall, a brick drawn on by Camellia Floyd. It shows a little girl with pink hair holding hands with a gold-toothed man. It's identical to one of the bricks in the first-floor sitting room.

"When we first entered this house, the door to the left of the stairs was walled off," Nero says. "But, after we spoke to Camellia, the bricks disappeared."

"What's going on?"

"Pink Floyd is a **Stand User**. I believe this is his ability. The house is reshaping around us, trying to prevent us from reaching the basement."

"So, what should we do?"

Nero's **Stand**, **Viva La Vida**, appears beside him. "I suggest that we force our way to the basement," he says.

Nero rips open the door he and Kelly entered through. A brick wall sits on the other side. **Viva La Vida** unleashes a flurry of blows on the wall, breaking it down. Nero and Kelly walk into an empty room whose only feature is a window on the wall.

Kelly walks over and glances out the window. "We're on the second-floor now, it's like this Floyd guy is mocking us," he says.

The brick wall covering the door reforms as more bricks slot into place. A wall of bricks appears in front of the window, blocking it out and turning the room dark. "The hell?" Kelly says.

Suddenly, a brick shoots out of the wall and strikes Kelly in the stomach. He keels over and gasps for air. Nero pulls out his cellphone and turns on his flashlight.

Three more bricks shoot out of the wall, aiming for Nero. He strikes them down with his **Stand**. Brick after brick shoots out of the wall, all soaring towards Nero. All of them are destroyed by Nero's might.

Some bricks above Nero slide apart and drop two knives. These knives are knocked away by nails thrown by one Machine Gun Kelly, who runs up to Nero and stands back to back with him. "Floyd's **Stand **is making his house try to kill us!" Kelly shouts.

"No, I believe that this house _is _the **Stand**," Nero says.

The wall to the sitting room opens up and a large hand made of bricks throws the piano at Nero. He catches it with his **Stand **and smashes it on the floor. While his **Stand **is distracted by the piano, a brick shoots out of the wall and strikes Nero in the hand, smashing his phone.

The sitting room wall closes up again and Nero briefly worries about the darkness. These fears are quashed when a flaming oven drops from the ceiling. Kelly tackles Nero out of the way, saving him.

"We need to get out of this room before it kills us!" Kelly shouts.

"An excellent idea, Mr. Zuko!" Nero shouts. His **Stand **smashes its fists on the brick floor, creating a hole that Kelly and Nero fall through. They land in the kitchen. Before the house can try to kill them again, **Viva La Vida** strikes the ground again.

Kelly and Nero fall through the kitchen floor into a musty basement, filled with shelves and boxes and old furniture. Kelly coughs. "I guess we found the basement," he says.

Then he notices it, the bed sitting in the corner of the basement. A rotting corpse, barely more than a skeleton, sits under the bed's covers. "Jesus," Kelly says. "Why does Pink Floyd have some random person's corpse in his basement?"

Nero walks over, shoving boxes of junk out of the way, and looks at the corpse. He frowns. "I am afraid that statement was incorrect, Kelly," Nero says.

"What do you mean?"

"This is not some random person's corpse," Nero says, eyeing the gold tooth in the skeleton's mouth. "It belongs to Pink Floyd."

Up in the crayon filled room, Kan and Johana continue talking to Camellia. "Kelly and Nero have been taking longer than I expected, do you think your father is being mean to them?" Johana asks.

"Daddy wouldn't be mean to them, he's really nice and wouldn't hurt a fly," Camellia says.

"Okay, that's good. Sidebar," Johana says. She and Kan lean in to whisper to one another.

"I hate to agree with Kelly, but this kid is starting to give me the creeps," Johana whispers.

"Do you think she's a **Stand User**?" Kan asks.

"I don't know, but I know how we can find out. Summon **The Doors**," Johana says.

"Why don't you summon your **Stand**?"

"Because mine is a scary punk rock robot and yours is a cute little hummingbird."

"Aw, you think my **Stand **is cute? I'm flattered."

"Shut up and summon it."

Kan extends her hand and a small black and white bird appears in her hand. Camellia's eyes go giant. "Oh my god, it's a little birdy!" Camellia says.

Camellia tries to grab **The Doors** but it flies away. Camellia chases the bird around the room, laughing harder than she has in months.

"She's a **Stand User**," Johana says.

"That isn't a big deal. **Stands **run in families, right?" Kan says.

"I think it's a bigger deal than you realize," Johana says. She points at Camellia's ankle, which is covered by a silver bracelet encrusted with a red gem.

"Camellia, I have some questions about that ankle bracelet," Johana says.

Camellia stops chasing **The Doors**. She turns and stares at Johana. Johana shivers.

"Camellia, did Woodstock give you that bracelet?" Johana asks.

"You aren't here to throw my Daddy a birthday party, are you?" Camellia says.

"No, we aren't."

"Woodstock told me bad people like you would come here and try to hurt me and Daddy."

"Camellia, we aren't going to hurt you. We just want to talk," Kan says.

The walls of the room start to shake. "You lied to me about why you were here. Just like mommy did when she said she would stick around," Camellia whispers. "Daddy says that liars are bad people. I can't let bad people hurt Daddy again."

A wall of bricks crashes down onto the table, splitting the room in half and separating Johana and Kan from Camellia. Johana looks behind her to see that the door to the crayon room is gone, replaced by a wall of white bricks. The walls begin to close in around Johana and Kan.

"Okay, the little girl is trying to kill us now," Kan says.

Johana's **Stand**, **Twisted Sister**, appears at her side. It places its arms out, temporarily locking the walls in place. "Really? I hadn't noticed," Johana says.

The duo escape through a hole placed on the wall by Kan's **Stand**. They run down the house's steps, trip, and land in a heap at the bottom. Just then, **Viva La Vida's** fist bursts through the door. Nero and Kelly climb out of the basement. "Guys, we need to get out of here now!" Kelly says.

"No shit!" Johana says.

The quartet run out of the house and jump into Kelly's convertible, which is parked next to the house. "I have troubling news. It seems that Pink Floyd is not the Stand User," Nero says.

"Yeah, we know. Camellia is," Kan says.

"Well, did you know that Pink Floyd is dead?" Kelly says.

"Didn't know that part. Explains a lot," Johana says.

Johana looks back at the house. All of the bricks are shifting around, faster and faster, as the house falls apart. "Okay, let's figure out what this kid's deal is so we can talk her down," Johana says.

"Well, her mother walked out on her dad and then he died, that probably has something to do with it," Kan says.

"Do you know how Mr. Floyd died? Another **Stand User**, perhaps?" Nero asks.

"Camellia said that her father was hurt by _the bad man_, so maybe," Johana says.

"He couldn't have been killed by one of Woodstock's **Stand User's**, his body was too rotten," Kelly says.

"How rotten?" Johana asks.

"Two years worth of rotten, I would guess," Nero says.

"God, two years alone, with her only human interaction being Woodstock occasionally stopping by to check in on her. No wonder she's crazy," Kan says.

"You spoke to Camellia longer than me, does she know that her father is deceased?" Nero asks.

"She has to know he's dead, but she talks about him like he's alive," Johana says.

"She must be in denial, then. She is clinging to the false notion of her father's life because he is her only loved one," Nero says.

"Tragic," Kan says.

"She's attacking us because we're **Stand Users** and the last S**tand Users **she met...no, the last person she met besides Woodstock killed her father," Johana says. "She thinks she's protecting him by keeping us out. But he's already dead."

Johana jumps out of the car and walks over to the house. Well, I say house, but in truth that term no longer applies. The house has transformed into a swirling tornado of bricks. "Camellia!" Johana shouts, "We need to talk!"

A flurry of bricks rain down on the car, Nero grabbing Kan and Kelly and jumping out just in time to avoid getting hit. "My car!" Kelly yells.

"Camellia, I promise that we aren't here to hurt your father," Johana says. "We can't hurt him. No one can, because he's dead."

More bricks rain down; **Twisted Sister** appears behind Johana and swats them away. "Camellia, I know you don't want to accept that your father is dead because it hurts to even think about, but you have to. Trust me, you have to," Johana says.

Some of the bricks peel away to reveal Camellia, standing atop some bricks in the center of the tornado. "You're lying!" she shouts. "Woodstock said that if I was good, and fought anyone who tried to hurt Daddy, Daddy would get better."

"Woodstock lied to you! There is nothing he can do to bring your father back! Your father is gone!"

Another brick crashes down. This time, Johana's **Stand **doesn't block it in time. The brick hits Johana in the chest and she hears her ribs crack. Still, she stands her ground. "Woodstock sent us here to hurt you, to kill you for his stupid game, but I'm not going to do that!" Johana shouts. "I refuse to hurt you, no matter how much you hurt me!"

More bricks fly at Johana, too many and too fast for **Twisted Sister** to stop. Brick after brick strikes Johana, each one hurting more than the last. Johana falls to her knees.

One brick flies faster than the others, headed straight for Johana's skull. Right before it hits her it stops. The brick hovers in the air for a moment before falling to the ground.

All of the other bricks fly back, stitching together and reforming the Floyd residence. All except one. Johana looks down at the brick lying before her. It has a drawing of Camellia holding hands with Kan and Johana.

Nero and Kan run over to Johana; Kelly stays with his crushed car. "Are you okay?" Kan asks.

"I'll be fine, I heal quick," Johana mutters. Nero helps her to her feet, supporting her with his shoulder. "Take me to the door, I need to talk to Camellia."

Kan and Nero carry Johana to the front door of the Floyd residence. They open the door to find Camellia sitting on the front steps, crying. "I'm sorry I hurt you," she says.

"I've been hurt worse," Johana says.

"My father's really gone, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Which means Woodstock lied to me."

"Camellia, that bracelet Woodstock put around your ankle, it's more than a fashion accessory," Johana says. "It's a tracker that leads bad people to you."

Camellia reaches down and tries to pull it off. "It won't come off, Woodstock saw to that," Johana says. "There are a lot of bad people coming for you, people that won't be as merciful as me and my friends."

"What should I do?" Camellia says.

"Let us protect you. Let us make sure that you make it out of this game alive."

Johana extends a hand for Camellia. She takes it.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 26: Zeppeli Family Rivalry

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** The Wall

**Dub Name:** White Bricks

**User:** Camellia Floyd

**Namesake:** "The Wall" (Album by Pink Floyd)

**Appearance: **The Wall is bound to the bricks of a small house in London. These bricks primarily white, but a large number of them have been drawn on by Camellia.

**Abilities: **The Wall gives Camellia the power to telepathically control the bricks of her home, allowing her to turn her house into a maze or fling bricks around at high speeds. Camellia able to bring bricks with her when she leaves the house, but rarely brings more than a few.

****Stats:******Power-B, Speed-B, Range: B, Durability-A, Precision-A, Potential-B**


	26. Chapter 26: Zeppeli Family Rivalry

Nero Zeppeli and Kan Nijimura stand on the sidewalk next to a thoroughfare in Westminster. Johana, Camellia, and Kelly are at the Floyd residence. Johana, recovering from her injuries in her fight with Camellia. Kelly, repairing the damage to his car. An old white Volkswagen pulls up next to Nero and Kan. "Get in," the driver says. Nero and Kan follow his instructions and hop in the back seat of the car.

The driver wears a white outfit with an orange jacket and a yellow tie. His blonde hair is braided into cornrows and a belt with holsters sits around his waist. He glances back at Nero through slit goggle covered eyes. "I was under the impression that you'd found your cousin," the driver says.

"I found her two days ago," Nero says. "She is resting at our base."

"Your base?"

"A few hours ago, we befriended a young **Stand User** who can telepathically control the bricks of her home," Nero says. "Her home will serve as a good base while we deal with the rest of London's **Stand Users**.

"How many **Stand Users** have you encountered so far?"

"Nine."

"And how many remain?"

"Six. Woodstock had fifteen of these bracelets, but according to Vuitton's notes hadn't given out the final one yet. We've encountered eight **Stand Users** with bracelets, meaning there are only six remaining."

"Wrong. You have a bare minimum of _eight _**Stand Users** remaining. This Woodstock person who is coordinating the fights is definitely a Stand User, and will almost certainly hand out the final bracelet before this event ends."

"Okay, we have eight **Stand Users**-"

"No, you have a bare minimum of eight **Stand Users**. You lost Vuitton and Burnham's bracelets, meaning Woodstock may attempt to reclaim them and give them to other **Stand Users**. And, before you say that means there are ten **Stand Users**, there is nothing preventing the remaining **Stand Users** recruiting allies, just as Johana recruited the two of you. Stroheim and Campbell will almost certainly have allies supporting them in battle. And don't forget, the first **Stand User** you fought, I believe you referred to him as Rabbit James on the phone, wasn't even part of this game. Stand Users attract other **Stand Users**, gathering up like you have is certain to draw in outsiders."

"We can handle it-"

The driver slams on the car's breaks. Kan's head flies forward into the back of his chair. "No, you can't," the driver growls. "Your victories so far are impressive, yes, but the **Stand Users** remaining are on another level."

Kan rubs her head. "Hi, mysterious Speedwagon Foundation guy, we haven't been properly introduced," she says. "I'm Kan, Johana's best friend-

"I don't care."

"Right. So, here's the thing. I think you're underestimating our little group. The five of us are all pretty strong now-

"The Speedwagon Foundation has fought Luther Campbell for years without an inkling of success. Bethany Leadbelly killed Nero's uncle and cousin without receiving any injury. Stroheim is so dangerous that Joseph will say nothing about him except that we should run if we ever encounter him. Not to mention the fact that we know next to nothing about Rigby, Germanotta, and Mathers."

"I am not saying that the coming weeks will not be difficult, they will, but we are strong enough to deal with whatever comes our way," Nero says.

The car pulls over to the side of the road. The driver sighs. "Look, Nero, I know you want to protect people, but your parents and grandfather would kill me if I allowed any harm to come to you," he says. "Get out of the car."

Nero, Kan, and the driver get out of the car. "You say that you're strong enough to fight Woodstock's **Stand Users**. Let's put that to the test," the driver says. "I am stronger than the average Foundation member. If the two of you can defeat me, I will go back to France and allow you to deal with this. But, if I win, you will hunker down in your new base and allow me to handle things. Deal?"

He extends his hand and Nero takes it. "You're on, Uncle Julius," he says.

The driver, Julius Zeppeli, stares Kan and Nero down from the other side of a zebra crossing, his hands sitting on his holsters. "Here's how this fight is going to go," he says. "Considering the fact that I'm here to protect you, going until you fall unconscious seems a bit excessive. I propose we treat this like a sport, or a game."

He points to a tree behind Kan and Nero. "If I touch that tree, I win. And," he says while gesturing to a tree behind him. "If you touch this tree behind me, you win."

"I'm game," Kan says.

**The Doors** appears on her shoulder and **Viva La Via** appears behind Nero. "Aren't you going to summon your **Stand**?" Kan asks.

"He already has," Nero says.

Julius grabs a grey ball from his holster and throws it at Kan and Nero. A cloud of smoke bursts from within the ball, completely surrounding Kan and Nero. Kan jumps back, out of the smoke cloud and onto the street. A red ball flies through the air and lands in front of Kan.

Julius appears over the ball and elbows Kan in the face. Before Kan can counterattack, Julius runs for the tree. As he runs, he grabs a jade-colored sphere from his holster. The ball spins in his hand before he throws it at the tree.

Nero runs for the tree, which is covered by the smoke cloud. The smoke begins to lift, just in time for Nero to see Julius leap into a jump-kick. Nero raises his arms, blocking the kick. **Viva La Vida** launches forward, aiming to take out Julius with a flurry of blows. Julius disappears from midair right before **Viva **can strike him.

The grey ball rolls between Nero's feet. Julius burst out of it and strikes Nero in the back of the head. **Viva **turns back to strike Julius. Moments before its strike lands, the jade-colored ball hits Julius in the chest.

Julius disappears and the ball keeps moving, curving through the air. It curves in front of Nero and Julius bursts out. Julius throws the grey ball over Nero's head, hitting **Viva **in the face. The **Stand **disappears, sucked into the glass ball.

Julius punches Nero in the stomach. Julius's fist, rather than doing any damage, goes right through Nero's stomach. Or, more accurately, right through the hole placed on Nero's stomach by **The Doors**.

Nero seizes on this momentary confusion and punches Julius in the face, knocking him back. Julius lands on his red ball, which rolls back to his side of the zebra crossing. Kan runs up to Nero as Julius exits the red ball.

"My uncle possesses a **Tool Stand** called **The Beatles**," Nero says, holding the back of his head. "Those glass spheres he uses, they are his **Stand**. Anything he touches with them is trapped within. It is not the most powerful **Stand**, but Julius is extremely adept at using it to move himself and his opponents around the battlefield."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Kan asks.

"You go for his tree, I will hold him off," Nero says.

The grey ball rolls over to Nero's feet and bursts open, releasing **Viva La Vida**. **Viva La Vida** strikes the ground, creating a cloud of dust that Nero binds together into a longsword with Hamon. "Julius has the ability to temporarily remove our Stands, which is troublesome. But, we have two ways to get around this," Nero says. "Firstly, Julius can only store living beings for a short period of time. Secondly, I can still fight if he removes Viva, albeit at a weaker level, and **Viva **is more than capable of fighting without me. If he takes one of us out, I should be able to hold him at bay long enough for the other to escape."

Kan goes right, taking a zig-zag route to the tree, while Nero charges straight for Julius. Julius holds the grey ball, ready to throw it when the time is right. Nero gets in close and slides to his knees, swinging the longsword at Julius's legs while **Viva **unleashes a flurry of blows at his torso.

Before he gets hit, Julius throws the grey ball, sealing himself inside right before it leaves his fingers. The ball flies over Nero's shoulder. **Viva La Vida** switches direction midair and strikes the grey ball; it releases Julius.

Nero jumps up and swings the longsword at Julius. Julius blocks it with the grey ball, sealing the longsword inside. Julius spins the ball in his hand and releases the sword. It flies forward, slicing across the side of Nero's chest, before falling to the ground and shattering. **Viva La Vida** lunges at Julius and he grabs the red ball from his holster and throws it up, catching the powerful **Stand**.

While this is going on, Kan runs as fast as she can for the tree. When **Viva La Vida** is caught, Kan is almost at the tree. Julius notices this and quickly grabs the jade-colored ball, which he throws at the tree. Julius captures the tree right before Kan can touch it.

Kan turns back and frowns. "You can't just destroy the tree to keep me from touching it," she says.

The jade-colored ball appears in Julius's hand and he places it in his holster. "I didn't destroy it, I simply moved it."

Nero flips over Julius and cracks his knuckles. "It seems we will have to steal that ball from you to win this battle," he says.

Nero swings at Julius, Julius barely ducking in time to dodge it. Julius reaches into his holster and grabs his final sphere, a purple ball that already contains something.

Julius breaks the ball open and a large sledgehammer appears in his hands. He slams it into Nero's stomach, causing his nephew to fall to his knees and gasp for air.

Julius runs for the remaining tree. A pothole appears in the ground, courtesy of Kan's **Stand**, causing him to trip. Julius grits his teeth and throws the grey sphere at Kan, catching her in it.

As Nero is about to touch the tree, **Viva La Vida** bursts from the red sphere and grabs it, ripping the tree from its routes and throwing it to the other side of the street. "I did not destroy it, I simply moved it," Nero says with a cheeky grin.

Julius sighs and throws the red sphere at **Viva La Vida**. This time, **Viva** is ready and dodges out of the way. As the red sphere flies past, it bursts open and releases the purple sphere, which promptly catches **Viva La Vida** again.

Julius walks towards Nero, sledgehammer in hand. "Step aside, Nero, it's over," he says.

Nero raises his arms in a boxing stance. "It is not over until I am unable to fight, uncle," he says.

Julius rolls his eyes and throws the red sphere over Nero's head. Nero looks back to see what it lands on and Julius smashes him in the side of the face with the sledgehammer.

As Nero falls to the ground, he sees the red sphere land on Julius's car and absorb it. Julius reaches down, picks up the red sphere, and throws it at Nero. Nero braces for impact, hoping that, if he can position himself just right, having a car land on him won't hurt. The red sphere hits Nero.

And nothing happens. The red ball bounces off without releasing its contents. "Allow me to repeat myself," Julius says as he touches the tree. "It's over."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 26, The Real Slim Shady, Part 1

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** The Beatles

**Dub Name:** Four Balls

**User:** Julius Zeppeli

**Namesake:** "The Beatles" (Britsh Rock Band)

**Appearance: **The Beatles is a tool stand taking the form of four glass spheres, each around the size of a baseball. One is grey, one is jade-colored, one is red, and one is purple. When a creature or object is held within one of these balls, a small silhouette of them can be faintly seen through the semi-opaque glass.

**Abilities: **Any creature or object touched by one of the Beatles is shrunk down and absorbed into the glass sphere. Julius can release the contents of a sphere at will. Living creatures can struggle while inside one of the Beatles and break their way free. Julius can summon these balls back to his hands at will. In the event that the Beatles are hit, any object stored within them is released.

**Stats:** Power-E, Speed-E, Range: B, Durability-C, Precision-B, Potential-B


	27. Chapter 27: The Real Slim Shady, Part 1

There is no grass in front of the tombstone, just freshly turned black soil. A bouquet of flowers sits on the black dirt, the only memento left after the poorly attended funeral. The bouquet is crushed beneath the foot of a lanky man wearing a grey stocking cap and a black raincoat. He looks down at the blank tombstone and sighs. "Too cheap to pay for your name on your grave," he says in a low growl. "Why am I not surprised?"

He reaches under his sleeve and produces a large rolled up piece of paper. He unfurls it, revealing a drawing of a shovel. He places his hand on the shovel and it pops off of the paper, transforming from a drawing into a real shovel. He begins digging.

Ten minutes later, he's pushed away enough dirt to reach the casket. He produces a crowbar from his coat and pops the casket open, exposing the corpse to the mid-afternoon sky. The body doesn't look damaged or rotten. It just looks...peaceful. If the man in the grey stocking cap didn't know about the corpse's recent departure from the living plain, he might have, for just a moment, assumed the figure in the oak box was simply asleep.

The man in the stocking cap reaches under his coat and pulls out a clean sheet of paper. He unrolls it over the body and activates his **Stand**. He rolls the paper back up, revealing an empty grave.

"Hey, what are you doing down there?" a voice asks.

The man in the grey stocking cap looks up at the middle aged man standing on the edge of the pit. "What are you doing up there?" he retorts.

"Well, I'm a gravedigger, and I was double checking the plot when I found you standing there, at the bottom of a grave that appears to have been dug up with a shovel," the man at the edge of the pit says. "Mind telling me what's going on?"

The man in the grey stocking cap moves quickly, summoning his **Stand **and absorbing the ground beneath the gravedigger into a piece of paper. The gravedigger falls into the suddenly expanded grave, right in time for the strange man to smash the crowbar against his head.

The man in the grey stocking cap climbs out of the grave and wipes the dirt off his coat. Then he hears it, the sound of a cell phone ringing. He follows the sound and finds a burner phone duct taped to the back of the grave. Hesitant, the man in the grey stocking cap answers the phone.

"Hello?" he says.

"Did you enjoy the flowers?" the distorted voice on the other end of the phone asks. He recognizes the voice as that of Woodstock, the **Stand User** who stabbed him with an old arrow and slapped a bracelet around his wrist a month prior.

"What flowers?" he replies.

"The flowers I left at the grave. It was far too depressing without them," Woodstock says.

"This grave has nothing to do with you."

"Au contraire, this grave is clearly vitally important to you and thus falls under my purview. Tell me, for what reason have you stolen the body?"

"I don't have to tell you shit."

"I was merely being polite, I know you want the corpse as part of your convoluted revenge scheme. Speaking of which, how's that going? Assuming my information is correct, and it is, you still haven't figured out the identity of the killer."

"I'm working on it."

"Of course. That brings us to the subject of this phone call. I have information that you need. Specifically, I know the name and location of the man you're hunting."

"What do you want in return?"

"I've been very clear about my goals in the past," Woodstock says. "I wish to find the strongest **Stand User** in London. If you can achieve your revenge, then there will be one less **Stand User** to worry about."

"You said you had a name," the man in the grey stocking cap says.

"Zeppeli. The man you seek is named Zeppeli. I'll ensure that the two of you run into each other sooner rather than later."

A hand reaches up and grabs the edge of the pit. The man in the grey stocking cap turns to see the gravedigger crawling out of the grave, blood gushing from the side of his head. "I'll have to call you back," the man in the hat says.

His **Stand**, **Slim Shady**, appears at his side. The **Stand **resembles a starving man, shadow colored skin clinging to his bony ribs. The **Stand **has a wide mouth and wears a hat resembling a mushroom cap. Paintbrushes pop out of various body parts, dripping with black goo. **Slim Shady** rips a brush from its chest and stabs it into the gravedigger.

Five minutes later, the man in the grey stocking cap is gone. Eventually, other people show up and inspect the strange grave. The grave with a pile of dirt sitting next to it, a stolen casket, and an odd a screaming man who resembles the missing gravedigger painted on the tombstone.

Julius Zeppeli spins an egg on his forefinger as a slab of butter melts in the cast iron pan. When the butter has lost all solidity, Julius cracks the egg on the side of the pan. It sizzles and turns white as it cooks. Julius flips the egg onto a white plate containing two slices of dry wheat toast and walks out of the kitchen.

He walks up to the drawing room, which Kan and Nero have cleaned up and transformed into a meeting room for the group, with a large table in the center and a board covered in information about the team's past fights on the wall. Camellia's crayons have been placed in a bucket in the corner. She sits by it, drawing on another white brick.

Nero sits at the table, eating one of Pink Floyd's MREs. It somehow tastes even worse than he expects. He uncaps a bottle of hot sauce he found in the kitchen and douses the MRE. Julius sits down across from him. "Would you mind passing that hot sauce?" Julius asks.

Nero doesn't respond. Julius sighs and throws one of his **Beatles **at the bottle. The glass sphere captures the bottle and curves back to Julius, who uncaps it and pours some on his eggs. "Where did you get eggs?" Nero asks.

"I went to the store," Julius replies.

"I hadn't thought of that."

The two eat in silence for a few minutes before the door to the dining room opens. In walks Kan, helping the injured Johana stand up. "Ah, Johana, how good to see you again," Julius says. "I would have said hello last night, but your friends insisted that you needed your rest."

"Yeah. I had a few dozen bricks thrown at me yesterday, and got hit by a car and electrocuted the day before," Johana says. "Don't worry, I'll be better soon."

Johana and Kan take their places at the table. "I'd like to make something clear," Julius says. "I have no intention of convincing you to come back to New York with me. I will leave the groveling to Joseph. I am here to do a job, and will leave when the job is finished."

"Good," Johana says.

Julius takes a bite of his eggs and frowns. "Still too bland," he says. He grabs the hot sauce bottle, turns it over his eggs, and taps the bottom. The jar shatters, completely covering Julius's food in hot sauce.

Nero laughs. Julius rolls his eyes. "It's good that you're laughing, it suits you far more than sulking like a child," he says. Nero stops laughing. "That was clever, using your **Stand **to decay the bottle so it would shatter. If only you showed that kind of intelligence yesterday."

Julius notices a red stain on his jacket. He sighs and takes it off, draping it over the back of his chair. Kan notices something interesting about Julius's shoulder, or rather, a lack of something interesting. "Mr. Zeppeli, why don't you have a mark on your shoulder like Johana and Nero?" Kan asks. "I thought everyone in your family had the star mark."

"I am not a member of the Joestar family, at least not by blood," Julius says. "The Zeppeli's and Joestar's have fought side by side for generations, making us as close family. My brother Antonio decided to make this relationship literal, and married the daughter of the Joestar patriarch, resulting in Nero over there."

Nero's phone begins to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket and Julius snatches it with his **Stand**. Julius answers the phone. "This is Woodstock, I presume?" he says.

Camellia pops her head up from the corner. "Is Woodstock calling?" she asks.

"Camellia, Woodstock is evil, remember?" Kan says. "Go back to coloring."

"Julius Zeppeli, I was wondering when you would arrive in London," Woodstock says. "A little birdie told me you're taking over for Nero, Kelly, and Johana?"

"Yes, no need to involve children in a battle between adults," Julius says.

"I am afraid that it doesn't work like that, Julius. I thought long and hard about who the players of my game would be, and distributed the bracelets accordingly."

"Johana and Nero joined due to actions outside of your control," Julius says.

"There are no actions outside of my control. Everything that has happened so far has been according to the design of fate."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

"You can believe what you wish to believe. The point is, you are not part of this."

Julius chuckles. "Well, may I be a part of this if I take out one of your **Stand Users**?" he says. "That's why you called, isn't it? To tell Nero or Johana where to go next. I'll go in their stead and take out whatever **Stand User** you think is appropriate for children to face. And, after I have defeated them, I will have one of your bracelets, thus making me a part of this game."

Woodstock laughs and a shiver runs down Julius's spine. "If you wish to fight, who am I to stop you?" the distorted voice says. "One of my **Stand Users** is a painter by the name of Stanely Mathers. This afternoon, he'll be unveiling a new work at the Tote Museum."

"I'll be there," Julius says.

Woodstock hangs up and Julius tosses the phone back to Nero. "Now then, I have a battle to get to," he says. "Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't get into trouble while I am gone."

He leaves, closing the door behind him. "So, I forgot how much of a prick Julius is," Johana says.

"Yes, my uncle can be a bit unbearable at times," Nero says.

"Are we really going to let him go alone?" Kan asks.

"I swore to Julius that I would allow him to handle this," Nero says. "My word is my bond, Kan, I cannot go after him no matter how much I wish to. Besides, Julius is more than capable of taking care of himself."

"He isn't that strong," Kan says.

"Kan, Julius was toying with us yesterday. I have seen him fight in the past, I know he was holding back. If he thought we were a threat, he could have moved himself to the tree or dropped a car on me from the start. He was toying with us, because he wanted to humiliate me. And, if I am honest, it worked."

Johana sighs. "Julius's right about one thing," she says. "Sulking doesn't suit you. I'm going to follow after Julius, I have a feeling Kan'll come along. Come if you'd like, or don't. Just stop sulking."


	28. Chapter 28: The Real Slim Shady, Part 2

Julius Zeppeli drives his old jalopy through the streets of London, making his way to the museum. A small, black and white bird flies overhead, keeping an eye on the car. As Julius passes an Indian restaurant, he reaches down and grabs one of his **Beatles** from its holster. He throws the glass sphere at the plate of a customer sitting on a sidewalk table, sealing it within the glass sphere, and summons the sphere back to his hand. He throws it straight up, striking the bird.

"Son of a bitch!" Kan shouts, clutching her eyes.

She sits in the back seat of the white convertible, which is tailing Julius from two blocks away. "What's wrong?" Johana asks.

"He threw a plate of curry in my eyes!" Kan shouts. "Or...Dora's eyes? Our eyes? He threw a plate of curry in our eyes!"

"It seems that he does not want us to follow him," Nero says.

"Do you have a bottle of water, to wash my eyes out with?" Kan asks, forcing her eyelids open with her fingers.

"I don't think that'll help much," Johana says.

A glass sphere lands in the back of the car and burst open, dropping a piece of paper in Johana's lap. She picks it up and reads it aloud. "Go home, children, before I drop a car on you," Johana says.

The man in the black raincoat and grey stocking cap, Stanely Mathers, sits on a bench inside the Tote Museum, smoking a hand-rolled cigarette. The museum is bustling, as various visitors, tourists and Londonites alike, tour the various exhibits. A woman with white hair wearing a red dress sits next to him. She wears black sunglasses and a blue headscarf. The duo hold hands.

A nearby security guard coughs, gaining Stan's attention. "What?" Stan snaps.

The guard taps on a sign listing of an absurdly long list of rules. No running in the museum, no flash photography, no outside food. And, of course, no smoking of tobacco.

"Not tobacco," Stan says with a smirk.

The guard crosses his arms and walks over. Stan's companion lowers her sunglasses and stares at the guard. He freezes. "We'd prefer it if you left us in peace," she says.

The guards sheepishly apologizes before backing away. "I could have handled that, you know," Stan says.

"I know, sweetie, but I don't want you to worry about this kind of thing today," the woman says. "Your new exhibits opening, that has to be nerve-wracking."

Stan kisses her on the forehead. "I love you, Stef," he says.

"Yes, I'm well aware. Speaking of your exhibit, you should probably get going. It's a bit gauche for the artists to be late for the unveiling of his new gallery."

Stan rolls his eyes. "Is there anything I do that isn't gauche?"

He sighs, tosses the cigarette into a nearby trashcan, and stands up from the bench. "Stefani, there's something you should know," he says. "Woodstock called two days ago, helped me arrange a fight with the man that I've been hunting. He's some Italian bloke named Zeppeli."

"That's great honey," Stefani says. "I know how much this has been eating you up. When's the fight?"

"That's the thing, it's happening today."

Stefani frowns. "I see," she says. "I assume this is the part where you tell me to run home so I don't get hurt?" She extends her arm, showing off the silver bracelet around her wrist for the world to see. "Lest you forget, I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"I know, but this is my fight, my revenge. It's something I have to do alone."

"I understand," Stefani says. The two kiss and Stan walks away towards his destiny. He walks through the museum, past exhibits on dinosaurs and ancient civilizations, to the third floor. The modern art wing.

A large crowd is clustered outside of a new exhibit, one dedicated to an up and coming painter, Stan Mathers. Large posters showing Stan standing in front of one of his paintings hang outside the exhibit. Stan winces at the posters, the fake smile forced by the photographer is cringeworthy.

The inside of the exhibit is filled with paintings and even more filled with people. The people gawk at the paintings, depictions of human suffering. A burning building, a man bleeding out on the sidewalk, a man drowning, these horrors and more are captured on canvas.

From outside the exhibit, Stan hears a museum curator drone on about him. "Marshall Stanely Mathers Jr., more commonly known as Mad Stan, has lived a life of pain," the curator says. "His mother died in childbirth, his father abandoned him and his brother when they were young, he was placed in a dreary orphanage, and to top it all off, he was beaten into a coma at the age of fourteen."

"But this pain Mathers experienced, instead of breaking him, it gave him strength," the curator continues. "After awakening from his two-month coma, he began painting, pouring his suffering onto the canvas. These visceral paintings he made, these displays of human emotion, there is nothing quite like them."

The curator notices Stan in the crowd and smiles. "Ah, Mr. Mathers, I was hoping you'd show," he says. "Please, come to the front of the crowd."

Stan sighs and shoves his way through the crowd. "Yeah, I'm Mad Stan Mather's, I'm the guy whose art you like," he says. "Enjoy the paintings, or don't. I really don't give a shit."

The curator forces himself to keep smiling. "Our eccentric artist, everyone," he says. "I suppose I can't complain about Stanely's eccentricity, I suppose. After all, I can't think of many artists generous enough to donate dozens of paintings at once-"

"It isn't generosity, it's a tax write off," Stan says.

"Regardless, the museum is in your debt."

Stan scans the crowd, searching for his opponent. His eyes land on a man in a white and orange outfit, with slit goggles and blonde cornrows. The man stares back and Stan knows that he is Zeppeli.

Just then, one of the paintings on the exhibit wall bursts into flames. The crowd screams and runs out of the gallery. Stan and the man with the cornrows, Zeppeli, stay behind.

Johana, Kan, and Nero finally arrive at the front steps of the museum. "It took too long to get here, Julius may have already started his fight," Johana says.

"Taking a back street to keep him from attacking us was slower, yes, but it was the only option available," Nero says.

Kan summons her **Stand**. It's bloodshot eyes match her own. As the trio run up the stone stairs of the Tote Museum, **The Doors **does a loop around the museum, scanning for any signs of trouble. Kan stops dead in her tracks. "Guys, we have a problem," she says.

"What?" Johana asks.

"Inspector Sting is here."

To be more precise, Inspector Sting is sitting at a table in a cafe half a block away from the museum. **The Doors** hovers above him, watching as he sips a cup of tea.

"That cop guy from the airport?" Johana asks. "What is he doing here?"

"Having a calming morning cup of tea, I guess," Kan says. "He doesn't know we're here, but things will go to hell quickly if Scotland Yard shows up."

Inspector Sting takes a sip of his tea and looks up at **The Doors**. He stares at it for a moment before raising his arm, opening his palm, and squeezing. The left wing of **The Doors** heats up.

Kan falls over and screams. "Fire!" she screams, clutching her arm. Burns have appeared on her arm, the damage taken by her **Stand **transferred over.

Johana grabs Kan. "What's wrong?" she shouts.

"Why does everyone have to attack me when I'm scouting?" Kan mutters. "Sting attacked me, set Dora's wing on fire."

"He should not be able to attack you," Nero says. "**Stands **can only be harmed by other **Stands **and can only be seen by **Stand Users**."

"Which means that Sting is a **Stand User**," Johana says. "Damnit, he was already a prick, and now he has the ability to actually hurt us."

"Did you see one of the silver bracelets around Sting's wrist?" Nero asks.

"No, I don't think he's one of Woodstock's **Stand Users**," Kan says.

"The arrow," Johana says. "He had it at the airport, he must have accidentally cut himself and gained a **Stand**."

"We should all calm down," Nero says. "Mr. Sting does not know that we are here. Nor does he know that there is a battle going on within the museum. As far as he knows, he killed an odd bird for looking at him funny."

As soon as Nero says this, the museum's fire alarm goes off and dozens of people come flooding out. "Well, that is unfortunate," he says.

"If the museum is on fire, then Julius's fight can't be going well," Kan says.

"Julius will have to sit tight," Johana says. "We need to take out Sting before he calls in more cops."

"I have a better idea," Kan says. **The Doors **reappears on her shoulder. "I'll lead Sting away, you two can go in and help out Julius."

"We don't know what abilities he has, trying to fight him alone is dangerous," Johana says.

"I'm not going to fight him, I'm going to distract him and lead him away from the museum."

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"Come on, Johana, have a little faith."

Johana sighs. "If things go bad, desummon your **Stand **and run into the museum, okay?" she says.

"Will do!" Kan says as she performs a mocking salute.

**The Doors **flies off in the direction of Inspector Sting as Johana and Nero run into the museum. The fight against the shoving crowd, heading in the direction of the smoke. As they climb the staircase to the third floor, where the Stan Mathers exhibit is, they see a menacing figure stood atop the staircase.

She wears a bulky suit of red armor, with a helmet shaped like a crown, and rests a large two-handed battleaxe, stolen from the medieval history exhibit.

She points her axe at Johana and Nero. "Those bracelets mean that you are **Stand Users**," she says. "You have come here to interfere with Stan's duel with Zeppeli, haven't you?"

"Guilty as charged," Johana says.

The armored woman, Stefani, slams her axe down on the floor. "I cannot allow this," she shouts. "I swore to Stan that I would not interfere with his fight, but I am more than willing to keep you two from interfering."

Johana cracks her knuckles and summons **Twisted Sister**. "Nero, find another way to the third floor," she says. "I'll handle this one."

Only Julius Zeppeli and Stan Mathers remain in the exhibit. The flames have spread, destroying many of the paintings. Stan stands there, his back turned to Julius, staring at a large painting on the wall.

"You're Zeppeli, aren't you?" Stan says.

"Julius Zeppeli, at your service," Julius says with a sarcastic bow.

"This is my most recent painting. Tell me, what do you see when you look at it?"

Julius glances at the painting. It shows a young man in a black hoodie with a massive hole in his chest. His eyes are filled with fear. "I see a scared boy," Julius says.

"Is that all you see?"

"Yes."

Stan clenches his fist. "Wrong answer, asshole!" he shouts. His Stand, the bony figure named **Slim Shady**, appears at his side.

Julius reaches down and grabs one of his **Beatles**. Before he can throw it, a car bursts from one of the paintings on the walls. Julius barely leaps out of the way in time to avoid being run over. The car crashes into the opposing wall and crumples as it quickly stops.

**Slim Shady **lunges at Julius, paintbrush in hand, and jabs at his throat. Julius disappears into the red sphere in his hand and flies past Slim Shady. As he passes by the shadowy **Stand**, Julius bursts from the sphere and chucks it over his head. It hits **Slim Shady**, sealing it away.

Julius grabs the grey ball from his holster and cracks it open, releasing his silver sledgehammer. He slams it into Stan's stomach, bringing him to his knees.

"Nice try, kid, but it'll take more than that to take me down," he says, holding the side of the Sledgehammer to Stan's face.

Then, the painting of the boy with a hole in his chest turns real, and a corpse falls onto Julius's shoulders. Stan scurries backwards. Julius tosses the corpse off him just in time to see the painting directly across from the body's former home turn real. Specifically, the painting of three men firing machine guns.

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Slim Shady

**Dub Name:** Thin Shadow

**User:** Stan Mathers

**Namesake:** "The Real Slim Shady" (Eminem Song)

**Appearance: **Slim Shady takes the form of a bony shadow colored, with a wide smiling mouth. It wears a hat resembling a black mushroom cap. Paintbrushes covered in black goo pop out of various body parts.

**Abilities:** Slim Shady is able to turn people and objects into drawings by stabbing them with its brushes near a flat surface. Slim Shady's drawings are held in stasis, unable to move but able to think. Stan is able to free his drawings at any time.

****Stats:******Power-C, Speed-C, Range: D, Durability-B, Precision-C, Potential-B**


	29. Chapter 29: The Real Slim Shady, Part 3

The bullets ring out as Julius summons two spheres to his hands. One spins in his palm for a moment before he lobs it at the car. As soon as the ball leaves his fingertips, Julius disappears into the other sphere, hiding to avoid being shredded by bullets.

The thrown sphere captures the car before rolling to the feet of the gunmen. It bursts open and the car knocks them over. Julius emerges from his sphere, clutching his side.

He wasn't fast enough. He's alive, but each of the gunmen landed a shot on him. One is his stomach, one in his shoulder, and one is his thigh. Julius grimaces as he pulls himself to his feet.

He glances at the gunmen. All three of them are mannequins with guns rubber banded to their arms. A makeshift firing squad, a trap set by Stan Mathers that Julius eagerly walked into. Julius pockets one of the machine guns into one of his spheres and limps out of the exhibit.

He spots Stan Mathers in the distance, fleeing for the fourth floor. By now, **Slim Shady** has escaped from its prison and returned to its master, meaning Stan will be able to seal Julius away in a painting if he manages to land a hit. Julius sighs, pulls out one of his **Beatles**, and follows.

Inspector Sting, hearing the sound of the nearby museum's fire alarm, grabs his radio to call dispatch. "This is Chief Inspector Sting, requesting-"

The radio drops to the ground. Sting looks at his palm to find a gaping hole surrounded by fire, a hole that was not there a moment earlier. The hole in his hand disappears as quickly as it appeared. A confused Sting bends down to grab his radio from the sidewalk. A hole appears beneath it, dropping the radio into the sewer.

Sting dashes towards the museum. Something strange is happening, just like at the airport. As he runs, Sting's foot goes into a newly formed pothole. He trips, crashing face first into the ground.

Sting looks up to see a small black and white bird sitting on the sidewalk in front of him. A necklace covered in keys hangs from its neck. It raises one of its wings and moves it back and forth, as if it is waving.

Sting extends his arm so his palm covers the bird in his line of sight and makes a fist. The spot where the bird sat erupts into flames. For a moment, Sting thinks that he has finally killed the annoying pest. Then something lands on his shoulder. He turns to see the bird sitting there. It pecks him in the eye and blows a raspberry.

"Motherfucker!" Sting shouts.

The bird flies away from the museum and Sting chases after it. As he runs, he points his hand at the bird and closes it again. The bird darts left just in time to avoid being incinerated. The bird flies into a busy street full of traffic and Sting chases after it, creating burst of fire after burst of fire in an attempt to take it down.

The bird dives under a car and Sting sets the car ablaze. The car's driver flees as flames consume his car. "Hold still so I can kill you!" Sting shouts.

The bird does a u-turn. No longer content to simply lead Sting away, it flies straight for him. He tries to set it on fire, it creates a hole in the ground and dives into it to avoid the flames. The bird bursts from the ground in front of Sting and throws two of its keys at him, striking him in the eyes.

His vision goes black as holes form on his corneas. He screams and swings his fists wildly, trying to knock the bird out of the air. Then, a hole appears on the ground beside him. He falls into the sewer. The hole seals behind him.

Back at the museum, Kan Nijimura sits on the stone steps, eyes closed in concentration. She takes a deep breath, opens her eyes, and runs in after her friends.

Nero climbs stands on the second floor of the museum, staring up at a third floor balcony. The fire and the Stan Mathers exhibit are both on the third floor. Presumably, so is Julius.

Nero's **Stand**, **Viva La Vida**, appears at his side. He jumps, using the **Stand's** strength to push himself off the ground. He grabs the balcony railing and pulls himself up.

He runs into the Mathers exhibit. By now, the fire has all but consumed the painting filled room. Nero frantically scans the room, searching for any victims. Then he sees it, a body lying in the corner of the room. "Oh no, that is not good," Nero says.

Nero sprints in, grabs the body, and drags it out of the fire. At first, he tries to do CPR. Then he notices the gaping chest wound and decides that CPR is probably not going to work.

He stares at the body for a minute. It isn't Julius's body, and the chest wound couldn't have been created by **The Beatles**, so it isn't Stan Mathers. Still, the corpse's face looks so familiar. But, no matter how hard he tries, Nero cannot remember where he saw it before.

Then he realizes, and his blood turns cold. "Oh no, this is very, very much not a good thing," he says.

Stefani stands at the top of the staircase, wearing a red suit of armor and wielding a large red axe. Johana stands at the bottom, **Twisted Sister** at her side. "Aren't you going to summon your **Stand**?" Johana asks.

"I already have," Stefani says.

She jumps down the stairs, axe held above her head, ready to bring it down on Johana. Johana shouts "ORA ORA ORA" as **Twisted Sister** unleashes a flurry of blows on the air in front of her, creating a gust of twisting wind that slams into Stefani and knocks her back.

As Stefani crashes to the ground, Johana feels bruises appear on her arms and legs. She doesn't have long to consider this, as Stefani sprints down the stairs and swings her axe at Johana's head. Johana ducks out of the way and uppercuts Stefani with **Twisted Sister**.

Johana feels like she's just been hit in the face by a brick, but for the life of her cannot figure out why. She stumbles back as Stefani raises her axe up for a downward strike.

Johana catches the axe by slamming both of **Twisted Sister's** hands on the side of the axe. **Twisted Sister **rips the axe from Stefani's hands as Johana kicks Stefani in the stomach. Johana feels a pain in her gut as she, Stefani, and **Twisted Sister** are all knocked back.

Johana catches her breath. She glances at Stefani, at her suit of red armor, and realizes how Stefani's **Stand **works. She glances at her own **Stand**, who is holding the axe like a baseball bat and flooding it with rotational energy.

"Don't!" Johana shouts. She's too late, **Twisted Sister** throws the axe at Stefani. The axe curves through the air and strikes Stefani in the back.

Johana feels a sharp pain in her back. She falls to her knees as blood drips from her shoulder. "Do you understand my **Stand **yet?" Stefani asks.

"That armor, it's your **Stand**, isn't it?" Johana says, clutching her shoulder.

"This armor, my **Iron Maiden**, is a perfect **Stand **for me. I have sworn to protect Stan from anyone who stands in the way of his revenge, and my **Stand **is the ultimate shield to protect him with. Unlike normal armor, **Iron Maiden **does not merely stop damage-"

"It redirects it."

"Yes."

If Stefani wasn't wearing a helmet, Johana would see her smile.

Stan Mathers runs through the museum, making his way to the fourth floor. If the trap in the third floor exhibit didn't kill Zeppeli, then he'll need time to set up a backup. A red sphere flies by his head and Julius Zeppeli pops out. He kicks Stan in the face.

"We just met, so you may not know this about me, but I dislike being shot," Julius says.

Stan stumbles back and places his hands on his now cracked nose. "You survived the firing squad," Stan says.

"Yes, I thought that much was obvious."

"Well, I wonder if you can survive this!" Stan reaches into his raincoat and pulls out a piece of paper. A fireball is painted on the sheet of paper.

A pillar of fire bursts from the paper, exploding down the hallway at Julius. Julius drops into one of his **Beatles**; it protects him from the flames, but the baseball sized orb is blasted back by the geyser of fire.

Julius emerges from his **Beatle** as Stan pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. Two pieces of paper emerge from that one, and two more pieces emerge from each of them. The storm of paper increases exponentially as each piece of paper creates two more. In a few moments, hundreds of sheets of paper fill the small hallway. The remaining sparks of Stan's fire attack ignite a few pieces of paper and, before long, Julius is completely surrounded by flames.

Julius coughs, covers his mouth, and throws one of his **Beatles **up in the air. It hits a sprinkler and water rains down from the ceiling. "Sprinklers must have been stuck, that's why they didn't go off when he set the exhibit ablaze," Julius mutters.

As the fire begins to die down, the shadowy figure of Stan's **Stand **bursts out of the cloud of paper and smoke. It rips one of its brushes out of its arm and jabs at Julius. It hits him in the tie. Julius's tie slams into his chest, transforming into a 2D decal on his shirt.

Julius summons two spheres, the red one and the grey one, to his hands and throws them at **Slim Shady**. **Slim Shady **stabs red ball with a paintbrush, sealing it in a free falling piece of paper, and dodges the grey one by melting into the floor and becoming a drawing. The grey **Beatle **keeps flying through the air, heading straight for Stan Mathers. Stan pulls a piece of paper from the air, crumples it up, and pitches it at the grey sphere, knocking it off course.

Julius takes a deep breath. "You're stronger than I thought you'd be," he says.

"What, are you surprised that I'm not just rolling over and letting you kill me?" Stan snaps. "That's the difference between me and him, I'm strong enough to take care of myself."

"Difference between you and who?"

Stan grits his teeth. "You still don't know, do you?" he says. "Even after I showed you my motives in the exhibit, you still think I'm just a normal **Stand User** who wants to kill you because Woodstock told me to."

"Listen, as much as I enjoy cryptic riddles about a villain's true identity-"

"I'm not a villain."

"I've been shot, so could you skip to the part where you tell me who you are?"

"I don't owe you an explanation, bitch!" Stan reaches into his coat and grabs a piece of paper. Julius reaches for his holsters and grabs one of his **Beatles**. Like cowboys, the two draw their weapons.

Stan whips out a piece of paper showing a pile of knives. He returns the knives to their original state, sending two dozen blades flying through the air at Julius. Julius opens the purple sphere in his hand, releasing the captured machine gun. Julius opens fire.

A flurry of bullets strikes Stan in the chest. The knives soar through the air. At the last moment, Julius drops his gun and seals himself in a **Beatle**.

This time, Stan is prepared for Julius to dodge. Earlier, Stan flooded the hallway with paper to disguise **Slim Shady's **approach. By now, each of these pieces of paper have fallen to the ground, covering the hallway floor in paper. Pieces of paper showing a certain image that would have, if he noticed it, sent shivers down Julius's spine. As he falls backwards, Stan Mathers releases the land mines painted on the papers.

Julius jumps out of his sphere and hears a click as his foot lands on one of the mines. "Shit," Julius says.

"The mines that now cover the hallway between us are pressure sensitive," Stan says as he crawls to his feet, blood dripping down from his injured shoulder. "I would have gotten normal mines that explode when you step on them, but I figured giving you a few moments of fear before you die would be crueler. The second you take your foot off that mine, you die."

"Then I just have to avoid stepping off the mine."

"If only it was that easy."

Julius feels a sharp pain in his back as Stan's **Stand **stabs him with a paintbrush. Julius feels a pull as he is slowly sucked into the ground. He tries to keep standing with all of his might, but the pull is great. His legs, one injured and one busy holding down the landmine, strain as he fights against Stan's **Stand**.

Julius summons the jade colored sphere to his hand, intending to escape his fate as a painting by sealing himself in a **Beatle**. **Slim Shady **knocks the sphere out of his hand with a paintbrush; it crashes to the ground and turns into a drawing.

Julius tries to summon another **Beatle** to his hand; none appear. "You didn't notice, did you?" Stan says. "The one I knocked away with a piece of crumpled paper, the one you dropped to the ground when you released the machine gun, both of these were turned into paintings by my **Slim Shady **while you were focussed on me. Your **Stand** is gone, as is your only chance of escape. Now, you have a choice to make. A painful death as that land mine blows your body apart, or an eternity of agony as a drawing on the floor, unable to feel anything but pain?"

By now, the pull of the floor has taken its toll. Julius is bent over, his legs the only part of him still upright. His suit jacket and shoulders have completely merged with the ground. The rest of him, he suspects, will follow soon.

A strange tingling sensation washes over Julius as his back emerges from the ground. He immediately leans forward, returning to standing straight up. A young man rushes past him, avoiding the mines and charging for Stan Mathers.

It's Nero and his **Stand**, **Viva La Vida**. Stan panics at the sight of a new opponent and rips a massive piece of folded paper out of his raincoat. He unfolds it, turning it into a massive sheet covering most of the hallway, and releases its contents.

A flaming fighter jet flies out of the paper. **Viva La Vida** grabs it and slides back, digging its feet into the ground as it forces the jet to a stop.

**Viva**, Nero, and the jet stop right in front of Julius. Nero's muscles bulge as he uses all of his strength to hold the stopped jet off the ground. "Uncle Julius, would you mind providing me some assistance?" Nero says.

"Nero?" Julius shouts.

"Yes, that is my name. This jet is very heavy."

"I'm sorry, I can't do anything. My **Stand **is sealed away in the floor."

"Oh, is that all?" **Viva La Vida** stomps and its decaying magic flows through the floor. The green **Beatle** pops out and Julius summons it back to his hand. He throws it at the jet, sealing it away.

Nero sighs a sigh of relief. "Thank you, I do not know how much longer my arms could have held out," he says.

"Nero, you saved me. How exactly did you do that?" Julius says.

"I caught the large airplane."

"No, not that. Earlier, when I was turning into a painting, you saved me."

"Oh, that. I used **Viva**'s decay power on you. To be perfectly honest, I did not know in advance it would counteract Stan Mathers's ability, but I saw no harm in trying." Nero looks at the other end of the hallway. "It seems Mr. Mathers escaped while we were dealing with his airplane."

Nero begins to run after Mathers. "Nero!" Julius shouts.

Nero stops. "Yes?" he asks.

"I'm, uh, standing on a landmine. I can't follow you."

"Oh, is that all?" Nero jabs the landmine with **Viva La Vida**. "I decayed the explosive booster, you should be able to move your foot now."

Julius winces and steps off the landmine. It doesn't explode. Nero quickly strikes all of the remaining landmines, clearing the hallway out. "I notice that you are bleeding, did Mr. Mathers injure you in your duel?" Nero asks.

"I'm fine, I've dealt with worse," Julius replies. He reaches down and picks up the machine gun. He the trigger and no bullets come out. "Figures, thing's out of ammo."

"Where did you get that weapon?" Nero asks.

"Mathers used it as part of a trap he lured me into earlier," Julius says. He sighs. "I underestimated Mathers, and now I'm paying the price. To be honest, I underestimated both of you."

"Oh?"

"Nero, you just saved my life, three different ways, in less than a minute. I was wrong to make you stay behind."

Nero bends down and places his finger on a trail of blood leading out of the hall. "This is Mathers's blood," he says. "If we follow this trail, it should lead us right to him."

"Lead the way."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 30, The Real Slim Shady, Part 4


	30. Chapter 30: The Real Slim Shady, Part 4

Johana jumps back, narrowly avoiding an axe swing from Stefani. Stefani spins in a circle, almost carving of Johana's head. Johana dodges by ducking and unleashes a flurry of blows on the air, creating a cyclone that pushes Stefani back.

Johana grits her teeth as the damage from the cyclone is reflected backwards. Stefani charges again and Johana leaps over her using her **Stand**. Johana sprints up the staircase, trying to put some distance between herself and Stefani. "If I can't beat you, no sense in staying here and getting the shit beat out of me," she says.

Stefani raises her arm and her armor like **Stand**, the **Stand** she has christened **Iron Maiden**, stretches out, snaking up the staircase and grabbing Johana, dragging her down the stairs.

**Twisted Sister** appears, grabs Johana, and slams its fists into the staircase, stopping Johana from being dragged down. Johana kicks Stefani's hand with her free arm; the stretched hand retains is grip and a bruise appears on Johana's wrist. Johana winces, looks down at her opponent, and comes up with a plan.

With **Twisted Sister's **superior strength, Johana begins to climb back up the stairs, fighting back against Stefani's pull. Stefani drags her ankles in, but Johana's strength is too great. Stefani slips and is pulled up the stairs as her **Stand's** arm springs back to its normal length.

As Stefani flies up the staircase, Johana twists to her back and unleashes a cyclone. The cyclone slams into Stefani and sends her crashing down the stairs, bumping on every step. Johana sighs in relief as Stefani lands at the base of the stairs. None of the damage from the tumble down the steps was reflected onto Johana.

"I figured out your weakness," Johana says. "Your **Stand** reflects damage onto the attacker, but what does it do when there isn't an attacker? What does it do when you slip and hurt yourself? It can't send the damage anywhere else, so you must be the one to bear the damage."

Stefani crawls to her feet and laughs. "A worthy assessment, but one that is ultimately false," she says. "Look at the steps I just tumbled down."

Johana looks at the staircase. The stone stairs are covered in cracks, far more than one would expect from Stefani's tumble. "My **Iron Maiden** reflected the damage onto the steps, keeping me perfectly fine," Stefani says.

Johana sprints away from Stefani.

Julius and Nero follow the trail of blood to the fourth floor of the museum, where a large domed room sits. A nearby sign proclaims it as the Planetarium. "The trail ends here, Mathers must be on the other side of this door," Nero says.

"That's good," Julius says. He slumps against a wall and catches his breath.

"Are you alright, uncle?" Nero asks.

"I'm fine," Julius says.

"Remind me, where did you say you were shot?"

"I told you, once in my stomach and once in my leg."

Nero frowns. "Uncle, I know that is a lie," he says. "There is a bloodstain growing on your stomach."

"Imagine that."

"Uncle Julius, we need to get you to a hospital."

"No, we need to take out Mathers. He's injured, if we let him get away now he'll have time to heal and set up another death trap."

Julius kicks open the door of the planetarium. The circular room is dark and filled with black felt chairs. The dome is covered by white stars.

Seventeen portraits of Stan Mathers are spread across the room's walls. "It seems that he has already set up his next trap," Nero says.

Stefani uses her **Stand's** stretchy arms to pull herself the top of the stairs. She looks around. "Where have you run to?" she says.

Then she notices a black hat sitting on the floor at the entrance of one of the exhibits. She bends down, picks it up, and places it atop her crown.

She follows the hat into a room with blue walls and a large wooden ship against the wall. According to a nearby sign, it's an exhibit on the history of piracy. Tables covered in various historical artifacts and corresponding signs dot the large room.

Stefani stretches out her arms and pulls herself onto the large pirate ship. She looks around the ship and surveys the room, finding no sign of Johana.

Stefani jumps down. "Did you leave your hat at the entrance of this room to mislead me?" she asks.

"Not quite!" Johana shouts as she bursts through the hull of the pirate ship. **Twisted Sister **flies forward and punches the battleaxe, knocking it out of Stefani's hands.

Stefani is ready for Johana to punch her, injuring herself in the process. What she isn't ready for is Johana's **Stand** picking up a bundle of rope, flooding it with rotational energy, and throwing it at her. The rope twists around Stefani as it collides with her, tying her up.

Stefani struggles against the rope, trying to free herself. "These ropes were used to anchor ships, they won't break that easily," Johana says.

Stefani sighs and the helmet of her armor disappears.

"Now then, who are you?" Johana asks

"I told you, I am Stan's shield!" Stefani shouts.

"Okay, that's nice, but I was really asking for a name."

Stefani grits her teeth. "My friends call me Stefani," she says.

"Okay, Stefani-"

"You may call me Lady Georgina."

Johana rolls her eyes. "Georgina, you said earlier that you wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of Stan's revenge," she says. "Why does he want revenge on Julius Zeppeli?"

"That bastard Zeppeli, he murdered Stan's younger brother. My Stan has been completely despondent ever since. I fear that, if he doesn't slay Zeppeli, he will never be at peace."

"This is the first I'm hearing of this," Johana says. "You'd think Julius would've mentioned that he killed the brother of one of Woodstock's **Stand Users**. When was this?"

"Thursday."

"Things have been a bit hectic lately, what day is it?"

"Sunday."

Johana does a little mental math in her head. "Where did Stan's brother die?" she asks.

"Here, in London."

Johana shakes her head."No, that can't be right," she says. "Julius was in France on Thursday."

"Lies! Woodstock, the great man who gave me my **Iron Maiden** and led me to Stan, said that Zeppeli killed James!"

Before Johana can realize the significance of this statement, Stefani surprises her. Unbeknownst to Johana, Stefani had stretched her arms out while tied up, slowly moving her hand to the battleaxe. Stefani pushes against her bindings. The force they exert to lock her in is reflected back, and the ropes break apart. Stefani bursts to her feet, ripping the axe back in the process, and swings at Johana's neck.

The axe goes through Johana's neck. Or, more precisely, through the flaming hole on Johana's neck created by Kan Nijimura. Johana leaps over Stefani's head and runs to Kan.

The two stand shoulder to shoulder, arms raised in a boxing pose. "How'd the fight with Sting go?" Johana asks

"Pretty good, I dropped him in a sewer," Kan answers. "Who's this lady?"

"She called herself Stefani. Wait, no, Georgina."

"Lady Georgina!" Stefani shouts.

"Whatever."

Kan looks at Lady Georgina/Stefani's unmasked face and takes a deep gasp. "Wait, I know who you are!" she says. "You're like, really famous!"

"Yes, I am aware of my own fame," Stefani says.

"I'm not aware of it, who is she?" Johana interjects.

"Come on Johana, you've heard of Lady Georgina, haven't you? Duchess Georgina Stefani Germanotta? The famous Lady Gaga? Grand niece of the Queen? Twenty-seventh in line for the throne?"

"I moved to England for college, why would I know this?" Johana says. "Why do you know this?"

"I read trashy tabloids," Kan replies. "Don't judge me, they're the only newspapers that interview the ghosts of dead rock stars."

"Enough chatter," Lady Gaga/Stefani says. "We are here to fight, not to idly chit chat about my closeness to the throne."

"I mean, closeness is a bit of an exaggeration," Johana says. "You're twenty-eighth in line-"

"Twenty-seventh! That is my proximity to the throne. If you are to insult me, at least get it right."

"It's one position, I don't see why it's such a big deal," Johana says.

Lady Gaga scoffs. "Of course you don't, it's not like you can imagine the immense suffering my royal status has brought me," she says.

"Okay, first off, you don't know me," Johana says. "Secondly, what suffering could you possibly experience, you're a goddamn princess."

"I am not a princess, I am a duchess. The word princess implies that I might someday ascend the throne, something I will never do," Lady Gaga says. "Thus is the irony of my life. Even though I shall never experience the glory my family name bestows, I still have to deal with all of the problems. Trashy tabloids following my every move, imbeciles like your friend gawking at me like a God, people downplaying my problems. No one, in my entire life, has ever treated me like the ordinary person I am. No one, except my dear Stan."

"When Woodstock gave me my **Stand** and sent me to kill Stan, I found myself unable to harm him," Lady Gaga says. "The passion is his art, the apathy towards the opinions of others, the life he carved out not by his birth but by his talent, Stan was greater than any man I had ever met. I fell in love with him immediately. And now, I will act as his shield, and protect him from the two of you as he avenges his brother."

Johana sighs. "Look, I don't have any personal beef with you," she says. "But I'm not going to let Mathers kill Julius. If that means we must fight, so be it."

The horned helmet or **Iron Maiden** reappears on Lady Gaga's head as she charges for Johana and Kan, battleaxe in hand. She swings at Johana's head. Johana ducks to dodge it and rises into an uppercut. Right before **Twisted Sister's **fist connects with Gaga's helmet, **The Doors** places a hole on the chin of the helmet.

**Twisted Sister's** fist slams into Lady Gaga's exposed face, knock out a smattering of teeth and knocking her off her rhythm. Johana seizes this moment; Kan places a hole on the stomach Gaga's armor and **Twisted Sister** punches her with all its might.

Lady Gaga crashes to the ground in front of the boat. "Your **Stand**, it can counter mine," she says.

Her arms stretch out and pull her onto the pirate ship. She rips a cannon from the ship, holds it above her head, and throws it at Johana. **Twisted Sister** flies forward and punches the cannon to the ground.

As it strikes shatters on the ground, the cannon goes off, firing a cannonball at **Twisted Sister's** chest. The **Stand** places its hands out to catch it. The force of the cannonball sends Johana sliding back. She manages to keep standing, if only barely.

"Keeping a loaded cannon in a museum, whose bright idea was that?" Johana mutters.

The cannonball begins spinning in **Twisted Sister's** hands. The **Stand** roars as it throws the cannonball in the air. It punches the cannonball as it falls back down, rocketing it at Lady Gaga.

**The Doors** flies in front of Gaga, creating a large hole in the front of her armor. Lady Gaga plucks the small bird out of the air, holding it down so it can't throw any more keys, and turns around. She intends to force the cannonball to collide with her back, reflecting its deadly damage to Johana.

Before the cannonball can strike Gaga, it twists in the air, arcing around and smashing into her exposed chest. Gaga releases **The Doors** from her fingers and falls backwards off the boat. Her armor disappears when she hits the ground.

Johana takes a deep breath. "Thank you, I couldn't have done it without you," she says, looking at Kan.

Kan smiles. "So, we just beat up a member of the British Royal Family," she says. "Do you know what that means?"

"When Sting gets out of the sewer he'll be even more dedicated to sending us to prison," Johana replies.

"I was going to say that her family of powerful royal **Stand Users** would hunt us one by one, which would be cool, but yours sounds more realistic."

Julius slams the door shut. "There are more than a dozen paintings of Stan Mathers in that room," he says. "One of them is the real one, but the others are self portraits he created as distractions. Presumably, there are traps set up to kill us if we try to destroy the fakes."

"So we must find the real Stan Mathers," Nero mumbles. "If he created these paintings in a few minutes, they must be of much lower quality than the ones his **Stand** creates."

"Don't be so sure. I once met a mangaka who was talented enough to create entire monthly chapters in four days. From the brief glance I got a moment ago, it appeared that all of the paintings in the planetarium were of similar quality."

"Well, we cannot just stand out here talking about the dire straits we are in," Nero says. "We must enter and hope for the best."

A few moments later, Julius opens the door and throws one of his **Beatles** inside. The grey sphere rolls in front of one of the portraits on the wall. Nero bursts out and strikes it with **Viva La Vida**.

The paint on the wall dries up and flakes off the wall. Nero quickly moves to the next portrait and strikes it to the same result. As Nero destroys a third painting, a bolt of electricity shoots out of the planetarium wall and strikes him in the chest. Nero clutches his heart and falls to his knees.

"Nero!" Julius shouts.

"I am fine," Nero grunts. "I found Mathers's trap. It seems he turned a large amount of electricity into a painting and covered it with the fake painting of himself."

"Where did he get lightning?"

"Not lightning, electricity" Nero says as he crawls to his feet. "This planetarium uses an immense amount of electricity to power the projectors, he must have siphoned it off after we burned through his weapon reserves in the hall."

Nero strikes another painting and is shocked again. "Four down," he says.

As he approaches the next portrait, a bolt of electricity jolts him from the wall behind him. Then another bolt hits him, this one coming from the ceiling. Then another, from the wall right in front of him. Nero struggles to stay upright. "Fall back Nero, you're injured," Julius says.

"He can release his paintings at any time, but I haven't seen any paintings of lightning," Nero says. "The first few bolts were hidden by the portraits, but these ones are just coming from the walls."

Nero looks around the domed room. There's nothing in it but him, the paintings, the black chairs, a deactivated projector in the center of the room, and walls covered it painted stars.

"Oh no," Nero says.

"What?"

"The stars in a planetarium are projected onto the walls, but the projector is off," Nero says. "They aren't stars."

As he says this, all hell breaks loose. Stan releases his hold on dozens of bolts of electricity, stored as white dots on the walls. Nero jumps to the ground, but is still struck by multiple arcing bolts.

Julius runs into the room to save Nero, getting struck several times himself in the process. He pulls a **Beatle** from his holster and throws it at one of the walls. As it flies through the air, the **Beatle** releases the captured airplane, which slams into the wall and destroys half of the paintings.

"We don't have time to guess, we need to figure out which one is real now!" Julius shouts.

Nero scans the room. All of the remaining paintings show the same thing, a thin man, with a knife tattooed on his arm, wearing a grey beaning and white tank top. All except one. One shows the same man, but wearing a black raincoat on top of his regular attire.

Nero rushes up to the wall, enduring a dozen strikes of electricity, and strikes it with **Viva La Vida**. The black raincoat pops out of the wall. The painted man on top of the coat crumbles into dried out chips of paint.

**Slim Shady** bursts from behind the painting and stabs Nero in the stomach. The **Stand **pulls Nero back, dragging him into the wall.

"You put your real coat on a painting as a ruse to hide your true position and allow your **Stand **to strike me," Nero says. "That would have been a good plan, if not for one small factor. I have a **Stand** of my own!

**Viva La Vida** appears behind Nero and smashes **Slim Shady's** head against the wall. Nero's **Stand **grabs him and rips him out of the wall. "Julius, look for blood!" Nero shouts. "The damage of that punch was enough to make Mathers bleed, look for the painting that has a red stain on it!"

Julius scans the room and notices a single painting with a red mark on its forehead. As electrical bolt after electrical bolt strikes him, Julius uses one of his **Beatles** to move Nero to the painting with the red mark. Nero smashes into it with **Viva La Vida**.

The painting crumbles. Another bolt of electricity strikes Nero. "We are missing something!" he shouts.

"He isn't in here," Julius says as his heart drops. "He lured us here to distract us with the paintings while he fried us with electricity."

"Then how did a drop of blood drip onto the painting?" Nero asks.

Julius around the room and notices that part of one of the black chairs has been torn off. He looks up at the ceiling. "It fell," he says.

Nero looks and smiles. He jumps using his **Stand** and smashes into the ceiling. Stan Mathers, who covered himself in the black seat covering of a chair and hid himself on the ceiling, pops out. **Viva La Vida** piledrives him back to the ground.

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Iron Maiden

**Dub Name:** Steel Maiden

**User:** Lady Gaga

**Namesake:** "Iron Maiden" (British Metal Band)

**Appearance: **Iron Maiden is a Clothing Stand resembling a bulky suit of armor. Red spikes jut out of the top of its skull, resembling a crown. Iron Maiden completely surrounds Lady Gaga, leaving no points of weakness. Although Iron Maiden's helmet does not have eyeholes, the inside of its helmet is semi-translucent. Iron Maiden looks to be made out of metal, but upon closer inspection is actually made of meaty muscular tissue.

**Abilities:** Iron Maiden returns any damage it receives to its attacker. For example, if someone were to stab Iron Maiden's right arm, Iron Maiden would be unharmed and a stab wound would appear on the attacker's right arm. In addition, Iron Maiden is able to stretch its arms over long distances, allowing it to ensare targets and prevent them from escaping.

****Stats:******Power-B, Speed-E, Range: D, Durability-A, Precision-E, Potential-E**


	31. Chapter 31: The Real Slim Shady, Part 5

Stan Mathers gasps as **Viva La Vida**, **Stand** of Nero Zeppeli, rips him from his ceiling hiding place and slams him into the floor of the planetarium. The bolts of electricity arcing from the walls stop as Stan loses the energy to fight.

"Okay, I'm done," he mutters. He looks over at Julius Zeppeli, who is leaning against a chair, barely standing after his brutal fight with Stan. "There's no point in waiting, we both know how this ends. You kill me, like my brother before me."

Julius raises an eyebrow. "I have no idea what on earth you're talking about," he says.

Stan grits his teeth. "Of course you don't, just another innocent person slaughtered in your wake. I even showed you the body and you couldn't be bothered to remember! For you it was just a Tuesday, right?" he growls. "But it wasn't just another day for me, and it sure as fuck wasn't just another day for my brother. I can't get the sight of his body out of my mind, the gaping hole where his heart was supposed to be!"

Nero takes a deep breath. "Stanely, Julius Zeppeli did not kill your brother," he says.

"Bullshit! Woodstock said Zeppeli killed Jimmy!" Stan screams. "God, you can't even imagine the pain you've caused me. We had nothing when we were kids, nothing but each other. And I was his big brother, I was supposed to protect him."

Tears streak down Stan's face. He rips off his hat, revealing that one of his ears is missing, covered by a large scar. "See this? This is a testament to my brotherly devotion!" he shouts. "When we were young, some bullies tried to beat up Jimmy. I stood in their way, I took their blows. I lost an ear and ended up in a coma, but I have never regretted it for a moment, because I protected my brother!"

"Julius Zeppeli did not kill James Mathers, his nephew did," Nero says. "His nephew, Nero Zeppeli. I killed your brother."

Stan furrows his brow. "You killed my brother?" he whispers.

"**Stands** are shared through bloodlines. When Woodstock gave you your **Slim Shady**, your brother also received a monstrous **Stand** he named **Wrap God**," Nero says. "Using this **Stand**, he murdered girls who refused to go out with him and teachers who gave him poor grades. He attacked my cousin and her roommate, and I was forced to kill him. I understand your rage, but your brother was a monster. I have no desire to fight you, but will understand if you must kill me out of familial honor."

"You punched a hole in his chest, do you really think I'm just going to give up because you made some shit up about my brother being an asshole?" Stan asks.

Nero sighs. "No," he says.

It happens in an instant. Stan grabs his left arm, the one with the knife tattoo, and the knife turns real. He lunges at Nero, knife in hand. A metal hand grabs his wrist, crushing it, and a circle of fire appears on Nero's stomach, preventing the knife from dealing any damage.

**Twisted Sister** flings Stan at a planetarium wall. Johana and Kan stand behind the **Stand**. "Sorry we're late, we ran into a little trouble on the staircase," Johana says.

"Is it over?" Nero asks.

"It's over," Kan says. "Sting's in a sewer, Lady Gaga shot herself with a cannon, and the guy you were fighting can't stand anymore."

"She shot herself with a cannon?" Nero asks.

"I mean, she shot Johana and Johana caught it and threw it back. Same thing, really," Kan says.

Julius coughs and everyone looks at him. By now, the blood from his wounds has completely stained his suit. "Are you okay?" Johana asks.

"No, not really," Julius says.

"We need to get you to a hospital-"

"No, no hospitals. Hospitals ask questions," Julius says. "Have Nero call a Speedwagon Foundation doctor to the little girl's house."

"Can you survive long enough for us to get you home?"

Julius draws one of his **Beatles**. "Time is effectively frozen within my **Beatles**," he says. "I'll store myself inside until the doctor arrives." With that, Julius Zeppeli disappears into the red sphere. Nero picks it up and places it in his pocket.

Unbeknownst to Johana and her group, a red arm is slithering into the planetarium, bending and stretching as it reaches for its target. It grabs Stan by the arm and begins dragging him out.

Kan spots the arm and runs after it. "Lady Gaga, she's dragging Stan away!" Kan shouts. Johana and Nero follow.

As Kan steps out of the planetarium, a blast of fire surrounds her, throwing her backwards into a wall. Johana and Nero summon their **Stands**. Lady Gaga stands at one end of the hall, dragging Stan to her using **Iron Maiden's** stretchy arms. Inspector Sting stands at the other end of the hall, still soaking wet from his dunk into the sewer.

Johana begins to sprint after Stan and Gaga, but **Twisted Sister** shoves her, saving her from a blast of fire created by Inspector Sting. Lady Gaga drags Stan into an exhibit on the ancient Aztecs.

"Okay, we'll deal with them later," Johana says as she regains her balance. "Inspector Sting, it's a pleasure as always to meet you."

Lady Gaga collapses in the middle of the Aztec exhibit. The deserted exhibit is filled with artifacts recovered from a recent dig site. Weapons, pottery, religious relics, and other ancient items are spread out on tables around the exhibit. A mural showing men wearing stone masks performing a ritualistic sacrifice is displayed on the wall.

"Stefani?" Stan mutters, regaining consciousness. "What are you doing here?"

"I stayed behind to fight off Zeppeli's friends for you," Lady Gaga wheezes. "It didn't go so well."

"Neither did my fight with Zeppeli. Or, my fight with Zeppelis, if I'm being accurate," Stan says.

"I can't believe they beat you up like this. If I wasn't so injured, I'd kill those bastards."

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing," Stan says with a half-hearted smile. "Stefani, I think this is the end of the road for me. Even if a doctor could treat my wounds, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I ran away. I think I'll stay here and fight. I won't be able to kill all of them, but I might get lucky and take Nero Zeppeli out."

Stefani takes Stan's hand. "I'm with you to the end, Stanely," she says. "Let's kill these bastards."

Stan smiles. "I love you," he says. "Now we need to figure a way to make them die."

Lady Gaga crawls to her feet. "I have an idea," she says, picking up a stone mask from one of the tables. "If I put this mask on, I'll look just like the men in that mural. You can hide me in the mural with your **Stand**, and I can ambush them when they come in the room," she says.

"All three of you are here, why am I not surprised?" Inspector says, gritting his teeth.

"I know that us being at the site of another disaster is disconcerting, to say the least, but we are not responsible for most of the damage to this museum," Nero says.

"Way to make us look innocent, Nero," Johana says.

"Your false pleas of innocence won't work on me," Inspector Sting says. "I know now that you aren't regular people. You have abilities far beyond those of a normal human being."

"What? No, you're crazy," Johana says half heartedly.

"I can see that monster you summoned to fight for you," Sting snaps. "Everywhere you go, chaos follows. People die. It's time I put a stop to that."

Inspector Sting extends his arm so that his hand covers Nero and crushes his palm. Flames envelop Nero. Before they can do any damage, **Viva La Vida** strikes them, putting them out.

"Be careful! I don't know how his **Stand** works, but I know he can create fire by closing his hands!" Kan yells.

Inspector Sting turns to throw another blast of flames at the injured Kan. She escapes the fire through a hole her **Stand **makes in the floor, falling down to the third floor.

Johana charges at Inspector Sting and strikes him with **Twisted Sister**. Sting flies back and crashes to the ground. The punch tore through his shirt and twisted the skin on his stomach into a knot. He groans and raises his arm to summon flames.

He closes his palm and a pillar of flames surrounds Johana. A moment later, the flames are gone, replaced by a cloud of white mist. When the cloud clears, Nero Zeppeli is standing next to Johana, holding a fire extinguisher. Nero charges at Inspector Sting. Sting opens his hand to prepare a fireball and Nero smashes the fire extinguisher open with his **Stand**. The foam covers Sting, blinding him.

Nero tackles Sting to the ground, forcing him into an armbar. **Viva La Vida** pulls Nero's hat off his head and pulls it down over Sting's eyes. "Your **Stand** allows you to set things on fire when you remove them from your field of vision," Nero says. "It is useless if you cannot see anything."

Johana runs over and helps Nero place Sting's handcuffs on his own wrists. "You are under arrest, Inspector Sting," Nero says. He chuckles. "Not really, that was merely a joke."

"Just kill me already, it's better than sitting here and listening to you mock me," Sting says.

"We aren't going to kill you. We aren't murderers," Johana says.

"Well, that is less than truthful," Nero says. "We have both killed on several occasions. For example, our entanglement with Stan Mathers stems from the fact that I killed his brother, leading to him to seek misplaced revenge against Uncle Julius."

"Again, Nero, stop saying stuff that hurts our case," Johana says.

Suddenly, a red claw shoots down the hallway at Johana and Nero. It grabs Sting by the throat and rips him back to the Aztec exhibit. Johana and Nero turn to see a woman in a red suit of armor with a helmet resembling a crown. Lady Gaga.

Gaga slams Sting against a wall, knocking him out, and charges at Johana. She's fast, far faster than she was when the two first fought. Johana tries to jump out of Gaga's way, but Gaga grabs her by the ankle and slams her into Nero.

**Viva La Vida** flies forward and strikes Lady Gaga in the face. The punch damage is reflected back onto Nero. He stumbles backwards. Lady Gaga tears into **Viva La Vida**, ripping into it with the claws of her **Stand**. "RARARARARAH!" Lady Gaga screams and she launches blow after blow into Nero's **Stand**. Nero flies back and crashes into a museum wall, blood dripping from his chest. The red ball slips from Nero's pocket and rolls away. Gaga's helmet disappears as she bends down and begins licking up Nero's blood.

Johana slowly walks towards Lady Gaga. The creature sitting on the floor in front of her is far different from the duchess she fought in the pirate exhibit. Gaga licks the blood up with the fervor of a starving animal. Her skin is pale, and her teeth are pointed, like those of a beast. Her eyes show no humanity.

Johana reaches out for Gaga. In an instant, Gaga lunges at Johana, tackling her to the ground. She strikes Johana again and again and again, her red fists tearing into Johana's chest. Johana raises her arms to cover her face and Gaga slams down on them. Johana hears a disturbing crack as her arms shatter.

Julius Zeppeli pops out of the red **Beatle**. Something is wrong and he knows it, deep within his bones. This conclusion is supported by the fact that Nero, Johana, and Kan are nowhere to be seen. Julius looks around. He's in the Aztec exhibit across from the planetarium. The body of Stan Mathers lies in front of him.

Julius leans in close to the body. Stan's skin is tight and dry, as if all of the blood has been drained from his veins. A stone mask lies on the ground next to him, with blood smeared on its forehead.

"Dear God," Julius whispers.

He knows exactly what happened in this room a few minutes earlier. Lady Gaga put the mask on and Stan touched her forehead with his bloody fingers, perhaps as a loving goodbye. When the blood touched the mask, its spikes extended and penetrated Gaga's skull. She died, but not really.

Lady Gaga, Stefani, changed. The mask transformed her into something monstrous. Something primal. A vampire. And, as newfound hunger consumed her, she killed the man she loved without a second thought.

Johana is trapped. Lady Gaga is beating her to death, and there is nothing she can do to stop it. Her arms are broken, Nero is unconscious, and Kan still hasn't returned from the third floor. Unholy speed and strength have joined Gaga's unmatched defence, and there is nothing Johana can do.

"Johana!" Kan shouts as she finally returns to the fight. Gaga jumps off Johana and kicks Kan in the stomach.

As Kan keels over, **The Doors **flies by Gaga's head and places a hole on the side of her helmet. Johana's **Stand** helps her up. She lunges at Lady Gaga, her broken arms hanging at her side, and strikes her in the face with **Twisted Sister**.

The force of the blow breaks Gaga's neck, sending her head spinning 180 degrees like an owl. The rest of Gaga's body spins around to match it. As she spins, her arms extend, striking Johana and Kan.

A green sphere flies through the air and hits Gaga in the side of the head. Gaga disappears into the **Beatle** as Julius Zeppeli runs back into the fight. "Johana, use **Hamon**!" he shouts.

"What?" Johana asks.

"I don't have time to explain, just use it! It's the only way to stop her!"

Johana takes a deep breath and **Hamon** energy flows through her body. Her arm begins to heal. Fighting off the pain, Johana pulls her arm back.

The second Gaga pops out of the **Beatle**, Johana strikes her as hard as she can. The force of the punch is reflected back, but the **Hamon Energy**, the golden power of Johana's lungs, that pierces the armor.

Lady Gaga screams as she falls to her knees. The red plates of her armor fall to the ground and disappear, revealing the beastial woman lying within. The center of Gaga's stomach, where she was punched by Johana, begins to turn to dust. This decay spreads as the **Hamon** moves through her body, until nothing remains but ashes.

"Julius?" Johana asks, catching her breath. "What the fuck just happened?"

A fireman drags Inspector Sting out of the Tote Museum. By now, the flames have been extinguished and Johana's group has fled. A variety of emergency vehicles have appeared at the stone steps at the front of the museum. The fireman pulls Sting into an ambulance. A paramedic tries to climb inside, but the fireman shoves him out and slams the door shut.

As the ambulance drives away from the Tote museum, Sting opens his eyes. The fireman is sitting next to him in the ambulance. "Where am I?" he asks.

"You're in the back of an ambulance," the fireman says. He's young and well built, with a square jaw and big innocent eyes.

"You're taking me to a hospital?"

"Not quite."

The fireman begins to take off his heavy protective clothing, shedding his coat and hat. He pulls off his gloves, revealing the silver bracelet around his wrist. The fireman reaches into his pocket and produces an identical bracelet, which he hands to Inspector Sting.

"Who are you?" Sting asks.

"Jefferson," the young fireman replies.

The ambulance pulls into a back alley and stops. The driver, a woman who is clearly not a paramedic, walks around and opens the doors. She climbs in and sits down next to Jefferson.

She wears a black catsuit with a silver belt emblazoned with the eye of providence. She has curly blonde hair and wears bright red lipstick. Her legs are crossed, showing off the red heels on her feet and silver bracelet around her ankle. A quiver containing a single arrow is slung over her shoulder.

"That arrow, it's just like the one Johana Joestar had at the airport," Sting says.

"It is the arrow she had at the airport," the woman says. "Jefferson was kind enough to retrieve it from the wreckage for me after that tragic plane crash."

Sting sits up. "Who are you?" he asks. "Are you working with Joestar-"

"I am Woodstock, and no, Johana Joestar and her associates are mere acquaintances of mine," the woman says. "I would describe myself as a servant of fate, helping certain people along the paths they are destined to take."

"What kind of people?" Sting asks.

"People like yourself, Jefferson, and Johana Joestar," Woodstock says. "People with special abilities. People with **Stands**."

"**Stands**?"

"A manifestation of a person's soul and fighting spirit. The fire you create, that is the power of your **Stand**," Woodstock says. "I help people realize the full potential of their **Stands**, and can help you reach yours."

"Why?"

"What do you mean by? Why do I do this? Why do you have a **Stand**? Or, do you mean why are you going to say yes."

"All of those, I suppose," Sting says.

"You have a **Stand** because there is something special inside you," Woodstock says. "Yours manifested when you cut yourself on this arrow. Normally, the arrow kills those it pierces, but you survived and became stronger because there is a fire within you, a fire that, if properly fed, can destroy all that stands in its way. Why do I cultivate **Stand Users** and lead them to conflict? Because I wish to create a **Stand User** that can fulfill my dreams. And, why will you accept my tutelage? Because you will never defeat your Johana Joestar without my help."

Sting mulls it over for a moment. "What do I have to do for you. I mean, there's gotta be a catch," he says.

"No catch, all I need is for you to put on the silver bracelet Jefferson gave you."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 32: Origin of the Stone Mask, Part 1


	32. Chapter 32: The Stone Mask, Part 1

"We want answers, Julius," Johana says. She sits on a couch in one of the bedrooms at Camellia's house. Her arms are bandaged, one of them bound to a splint. Nero and Kan sit next to her. Nero holds an icepack up to his bandage covered head. The trio stare at an injured Julius Zeppeli, who lies in a small bed.

"Lady Gaga went from being a minor distraction to the most dangerous foe we've fought in the span of ten minutes," Johana says. "And you knew exactly how to defeat her."

Julius doesn't say anything. "Uncle, if you know something about our enemy's transformation, I feel it is only fair to tell us," Nero says.

Julius sighs. He picks up his phone and begins dialing. "Joseph told me that he fought a creature like the one we fought, once," Julius says. "It's best if you hear it in his own words."

The dial tone ends and a deep old voice comes from the phone. "Julius!" Joseph Joestar says through the phone. "How is London? Are the children safe?"

"We are fine, Grandfather Joseph," Nero chimes in.

"Nero? Who all is there?" Grandpa Joe says.

"Myself, Nero, some girl that has been following us around, and Johana," Julius says.

The room is silent for a moment. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Johana?" Grandpa Joe says. "Of course, if I'd had my way, it would have been much shorter."

"And much longer if I'd had mine," Johana says. "Look, I don't want to reconnect or anything like that. We're only calling you so we can get answers on a **Stand User** we fought."

"You always did have your father's stubbornness," Grandpa Joe says.

"How unfortunate," Johana says. "If I remember correctly, that was what got him killed."

Julius sighs and rubs his temples. "Focus, you cretins," he says.

"Right. Just thought I'd catch up with my granddaughter, that's all," Grandpa Joe says. "You said you needed information about a **Stand User**. Do you have a name, or an approximation of their powers?"

"Georgina Germanotta, she had an ability that reflected injuries back on her attacker, but that isn't the point," Julius says. "Halfway through the fight, she became stronger, faster, and nearly unstoppable. We found a corpse drained of blood and a stone mask near the battlefield."

Grandpa Joe is quiet for a moment. "This mask, what did it look like?" he whispers.

"Let's see," Kan says as she pulls the mask out of her jacket. "It's made of grey stone. It has eyeholes, a mouth with these fang things, this weird hair curl hole-thingy on the top. I think you might be able to fit a gem in there or something-"

"You kept it?" Julius snaps.

"Yeah? It's a cool stone vampire mask. If your mad about me takeing it from the museum, I can give it back-"

"Destroy it at once!" Julius shouts. "That thing is cursed. This mask transformed Germanotta into that...creature that almost killed the four of us."

"Okay, jeez, I'll get rid of it," Kan says.

Nero picks up the phone. "Grandfather Joseph, I notice that you have become silent," he says.

"I thought I destroyed them all," Grandpa Joe whispers.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure this one is destroyed as well," Johana says.

"No, you don't understand. That mask is more dangerous than the arrow or Woodstock's **Stand Users**. If Stroheim managed to smuggle one of them out of Mexico, then we can be almost certain that there are multiple masks out there. In my experience, the strings of fate pull these kinds of things together. Germanotta will not be the last vampire you fight."

"Vampire?" Johana asks. "You can't be serious."

"All legends come from somewhere, Johana," Grandpa Joe says. "Tell me, how did you kill the vampire?"

"**Hamon**," Johana says. "It turned her to dust."

"As I expected. The specialized breathing of **Hamon** pulls sunlight out of the air so your body can use it as energy. The martial art was created specifically for the fighting of vampires. That's why I made sure you kids learned **Hamon** as children, even though I knew you'd one day develope **Stands**, because I feared you would one day have to face one of these beasts."

"This is a lot to process, Joseph," Johana says.

"You said the name Stroheim," Nero says. "One of the **Stand Users** Woodstock gathered is named Kaiser Stroheim."

"Kaiser is in London?" Grandpa Joe shouts. "If he's there, then you need to leave as soon as possible."

"Grandfather, I would much prefer if you explained what is happening to us," Nero says. "You have told us of the danger, but not how you know of it or how to defend ourselves."

Grandpa Joe sighs. "Fine, I'll start at the beginning," he says. "It happened when I was just a boy..."

The year is 1939. A black Ford Deluxe Convertible drives through the desert sands of Southern Mexico. Three men and one boy sit in the car. The driver is a man in forties with straight blonde hair and a black mustache. He wears a blue jacket and a green cap. A white feather pokes out from under his cap, resting on his ear. Beads of sweat drip down from his forehead. The man next to him picks up a red scarf, a gift from his wife, and wipes away some of the driver's sweat. "Thank you," the driver says, in a thick Italian accent.

The man sitting next to him is a bit younger. He wears a green military outfit. A pilot's cap and goggles cover his dark hair. Unlike his companions, he isn't sweating. This is likely due to the bag of ice cubes sitting in his arms.

The pilot taps his fingers on his seat as he sings a new Bob Hope song. "Thanks for the memory, of sentimental verse," he sings. "Nothing in my purse. And chuckles-"

"Could you please stop singing?" the older man in the back of the convertible says. He's by far the oldest of the three men, with white hair and a face full of wrinkles. He wears a dark violet suit and a black bowler hat.

"I'd love to stop singing, uncle," the pilot says. "But, in case you forgot, we are in Mexico. The only songs I can find on the radio are in Spanish, a language none of us speak. Besides, it's not like I'm bothering anyone. Mario, am I bothering you?"

The driver, Mario, shakes his head. "I have no problem with your singing, Jorge," he says.

The pilot, Jorge, smiles. He looks back over his seat. "Am I bothering you with my singing, Joey?" he asks.

A young boy, twelve years old, sits in the back of the convertible, reading a comic book. He wears a white shirt with brown suspenders and a red bowtie. "Your singing doesn't bother me, pop," he says.

"See, no one is bothered by my singing," Jorge says. "And Cuban rum and towels from the very best hotels-"

The old man in the back hits Jorge in the head with his cane. "You're bothering me," he says.

Mario stops the car. "Why are we stopping?" Jorge asks.

Mario points off into the distance, at a group of green trucks sitting on the road. "Military vehicles," he says. "And not friendly ones."

Jorge pulls out a telescope and looks at the trucks in the distance. "That's an iron cross," he says. "What are the Nazi's doing in Mexico?"

"I assume they're here for the same reason we are," Mario says. "Should we find another route?"

"No, we can take them," Jorge says. He glances back at the old man. "Keep an eye on Joey if anything bad happens, okay?"

"Of course," the old man says.

The car drives up to the blockade. An angry German man walks up and begins shouting at Jorge. "Yeah, I don't really speak German," he says. "You wouldn't happen to speak English, would you?" The German soldier shouts some more German. "No, I guess you don't. Which isn't surprising, now that I think about it, consider the fact that you're a German man in Mexico."

Mario leans over. "Parli Italiano?" he asks.

"Sì," the German says.

"What did you say to him?" Jorge whispers.

"I asked him if he spoke Italian," Mario says.

"What did he say?"

"Yes."

"Oh, that's good."

The German barks at Mario in Italian. "What did he say?" Jorge asks.

"He asked us what we're doing here," Mario replies.

"Say we're here to do his mother."

"I'm not saying that!" Mario yells.

"If your father were here, I'm sure he would be so proud," the old man says.

The soldier repeats the question. Mario looks at him and pauses for a moment. He says something in Italian that pisses the soldier off. The soldier points his gun at Mario.

"What did you say?" Jorge asks.

"I panicked and couldn't think of a good lie, so I told him your joke," Mario says.

"Well, that was dumb."

"I don't do well under pressure."

The soldier shouts something and Mario puts his hands over his head. "What did he say?" Jorge asks.

"He told us to put our hands above our heads," Mario replies.

Joey and the old man both put their hands over their heads. Jorge refuses. The German man yells in German and a few more soldiers come over. All of them point their guns at Jorge.

"Jorge, put your hands over your head!" Mario shouts.

"I don't have to listen to these guys. I'm British, they're German, and we're in Mexico," he says.

The German man yells some more and Jorge raises his hands. "Old man, on the count of three, I'm going to do something dangerous," he says.

"I am incredibly surprised," the old man says dryly.

"When I give the signal, grab Joeseph and get him as far from these guys as possible, okay?"

The old man sighs. "You need not worry about the boy," he says.

More soldiers run over and point their guns at Jorge. "Okay, one, two, three!" Jorge shouts before swinging at the soldiers. They open fire.

In an instant, Joey is thirty meters behind the car. The old man sits next to him on the ground, taking deep breaths and clutching his chest. "Are you okay?" the old man asks.

"I'm good," Joey says.

He looks at the car. Mario Zeppeli and his father are both fine. A large wall of ice has appeared next to the car. The barrels of the Nazi soldiers' guns are frozen in place. Despite their frantic pulling of their triggers, no bullets erupt from the gun barrels.

A figure in a thick black cloak floats next to Jorge. Its face is covered by aviator goggles and a gas mask. Its fingers are made out of sharpened icicles. This figure is **Black Ice**, **Stand** of Jorge Joestar.

"I've got these ones frozen, but there are probably more in the back," Jorge says.

"On it," Mario says. He raises his arms and grey wires shoot out from his fingertips. They grab the top of the ice wall and pull him on top. Maria spots a few Nazis rushing over and fires his wires at them. The wires wrap around their guns and Mario pulls them back, ripping the guns away.

Mario jumps off the ice wall, pulling himself towards the German Trucks with his wires. The wall collapses and Jorge's **Stand **rushes forward, slashing the Nazis with its icicle claws.

Mario lands and ties a dozen Nazis up with his wires. He squeezes his fists and the wires tighten, shredding the soldiers to bits. The last remaining soldier charges at Mario with a knife; an icicle flies through the air and strikes him in the side of the head, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Joseph helps the old man walk back to the blockade. "Did you win?" Joseph asks.

Jorge looks around the corpse-strewn battlefield. "Yeah, I'd say we won," he says. "How's your heart, old man?"

"It could be better, but I'll live," he says.

"Thank you for getting Joseph out of there. I don't know what I'd do without you, Uncle Dio."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 33: Origins of the Stone Mask, Part 2

**Name:** Black Ice

**Dub Name:** Blizzard

**User:** George "Jorge" Joestar Jr.

**Namesake:** "Black Ice" (AC/DC Song)

**Appearance:** A pilot wearing a thick black coat, aviator goggles, and a gas mask. Black Ice's fingers are made out of icicles.

**Abilities: **Black Ice can rapidly lower the temperature in the surrounding area, allowing Jorge to ice walls, snow, and icicles. In addition, Black Ice's claws make it a deadly close-range combatant.

**Stats:** Power-A, Speed-B, Range: D, Durability-D, Precision-E, Potential-C


	33. Chapter 33: The Stone Mask, Part 2

The old convertible pulls to a stop under the shade of a palm tree in the heart of Mexico. Four travelers rest, free from the scorching heat of the sun. Their self-proclaimed leader, George "Jorge" Joestar, digs around in the trunk and pulls out a glass bottle.

"Boys! I've got tequila!" Jorge says as he pours out a glass.

"No thank you," the older gentleman with the cane, Dio Brando, says. He studies a large, unfolded paper map of the area.

Jorge's twelve-year-old son, Joey, grabs the glass of tequila and takes a sip. He coughs before taking another sip and finishing the glass.

"Marzie, how close are we to this temple?" Jorge asks.

"Less than an hour away, by car," Mario Zeppeli replies.

"That's good. The sooner we can check out these ruins your pen-pals found the better."

"Masters Dire and Straizo are more than mere pen-pals," Mario says. "They are wise warriors who passed the art of Hamon down to me."

"Uh-huh," Jorge says before sipping his tequila. "So, what's so scary about this temple again?"

"I have explained this to you before, my friend," he says.

"You have, but I do this thing where I don't pay attention to conversations that aren't especially interesting."

"The fact that Erina raised such a rude boy continues to astound me," Dio says, still looking at the map.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you've said that before," Jorge replies.

"Hence the word continues," Dio says. "Mr. Zeppeli, if it isn't too much trouble, could you please explain our mission, again, for my less than intelligent nephew."

Mario sighs. "Millenia ago, there lived a race of powerful night creatures that waged war on mankind. A powerful order of monks was born from the need to fight them-" he begins.

"Skip ahead to the good parts," Jorge interjects.

"My father, a sailor and archeologist, met these monks in his travels, but decided against training with them. Instead, he travelled to London, where he befriended Robert Speedwagon, Dio Brando, and your father Jonathan Joestar. After discovering the **Stand Arrow**, our fathers founded the Speedwagon Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting mankind from powerful ancient artifacts-"

"I know the story of the Speedwagon Foundation."

"Three years ago, I learned of these monks from my father's diary and travelled to train with them, befriending Masters Dire and Straizo in the process."

Jorge begins to interrupt but Dio hits him in the shoulder with his cane. "Shut up and pay attention, I don't want Mario to have to explain this again," Dio says.

"Three weeks ago, Master Dire discovered ruins containing artifacts he described as _terrifying_. He wrote a letter to me, assuming that the Speedwagon Foundation could be of some assistance. I wrote him back, asking for more information, but he never sent a reply. I fear that Master Dire may have perished."

"Or the letter got lost in the mail," Jorge says.

"No," Dio says. "The Nazis are here. That can't be a coincidence. Something must have happened to Dire's group, something bad."

Joey slowly raises his hand. "Yes, young Joseph?" Mario asks.

"What I don't understand is how the Germans could have learned about this temple Dire found," Joey says.

"The current home of the Sendo Monks is Air Supplena Island, an isle off the cost of Venezia," Mario says. "It is possible that the Italian government learned of Master Dire and Master Straizo's journey to Mexico and informed their German allies. The German high command has a notable obsession with the supernatural."

"Okay, I think I understand everything now," Jorge says. "Here's the plan. We find the Nazis, we get rid of the Nazis, we save your friends, and then we go to this temple and check it out."

"Such brilliance," Dio says.

"Shut it. Do you know which way we need to go to get to the town that Dire sent the letter from?" Jorge asks.

Dio points at a mountain range in the distance. "The town is located near that ridge, about ten miles from here," he says.

"Great, let's go!" Jorge says. He hops into the driver's seat and turns the key. The engine groans and clatters before returning to silence. Jorge winces and turns the key again. Nothing happens. "Uh-oh."

Jorge walks to the front of the car and pops open the hood. "Everything looks fine," he mumbles.

"Maybe we are out of gas?" Mario says.

"I believe there is an extra gas can in the trunk," Dio says.

Jorge runs around to the back of the car and pulls out the gas can. It's empty. A small hole sits in its side. "Well, shit," Jorge says. "The gas can got hit by a stray bullet when the convoy stopped up and all of the gas dripped out."

"It seems we will be walk," Dio says with a sigh, holding his cane.

"I have a better idea," Jorge says.

"I don't think you can fix a car so it doesn't need gasoline to run," Dio says.

"No, we're abandoning the car," Jorge says. "But, I see no reason for all of us to walk."

"Then what do you suggest? Piggyback rides?" Dio asks.

"Not quite," Jorge says. His **Stand**, **Black Ice**, appears next to him. The **Stand** points its palms at the desert and unleashes a tremendous blast of cold, creating a road of ice. **Black Ice** strikes the car with its icicle claws, cleaving off the hood. The hood of the car lands on the road of ice. "We can use this hood as a sled."

"And how do you plan on moving this sled?" Dio asks.

Jorge looks at him and sighs. "Fine," Dio says. He sits down on the sled, takes a deep breath, and summons his **Stand**.

Dio's **Stand** is a tall, golden man. Once, years ago, the **Stand** was a powerful, muscular warrior. But, the years have been cruel to Dio, and his failing health has carried over to his decrepit **Stand**, which is covered in cracks and hunches over, supporting itself with an ethereal cane.

Joey and Mario join Dio and Jorge on the sled. Dio's **Stand** leans down, grabs the sled, and charges forward. Once the sled had gained enough speed, the **Stand** disappears.

The sled slides down the icy path. Jorge creates ice as fast as he can. Eventually, the sled overtakes the path of ice. The sled skids out on the sand, throwing Jorge's group into a large sand dune.

Jorge crawls to his feet and wipes off the sand. "Okay, that could have gone better, but we're all alive," he says. "Probably."

His companions sit up. They see a walled village, less than a hundred meters away. A red flag hangs from a belltower in the center of town. "Well, we're in the right place," Jorge says. "Now to figure out a way to sneak in and not get caught."

A pair of German men stand outside the village wall, their guns resting on their shoulders. A girl, twelve at most, approaches, carrying with her a large sack of crops. The soldiers yell at her and aim their guns. The girl drops the gun and starts crying.

The soldiers laugh. One turns and says something to his friend in German. He laughs even harder. The girl doesn't know what the man has said, but she knows that it must be horrible.

"Good afternoon, kind soldiers," Jorge says as he approaches the town gate. He holds a glass bottle in his right hand.

The soldiers scream at Jorge and he raises his hands over his head. "Easy, gentlemen, I'm not going to hurt you," Jorge says. "In fact, I brought you some tequila to help quench your thirst. I know it can be hot in this desert sun."

Before the soldiers can fire their guns, they feel their throats tighten. They drop their guns and scratch at the wire strangling their windpipes. The wires, created by Mario Zeppeli's **Stand**, do not snap.

The men collapse and Mario steps over their bodies. "You are safe now," he says to the girl.

She looks down at the bodies, looks up at him, and runs into the village screaming. Jorge sighs. "Just once, I'd like someone to swear a life debt or something when I save them," he says.

He grabs the guns, throwing one to Mario. A squad of German soldiers charges at the gate. Jorge raises a wall of ice with his **Stand**. "Are you ready?" Mario asks.

"Always," Jorge replies.

The two men run in opposite directions, Mario going left and Jorge going right. Jorge creates a staircase of ice and scales the wall. Mario pulls himself over with his wires. As the two men rise over the village wall, they turn and unload on the Nazi soldiers stood in front of the frozen gate. The bullets tear through the Nazis, killing half of them in a moment.

The two men throw their depleted rifles over their shoulders. Jorge's **Stand** appears and throws a barrage of icicles at the Nazis. Mario pulls himself towards the Nazis with his **Stand** and quickly strikes each of them, knocking their guns out of their hands. The soldiers try to fight back, but discover that they are unable to move, their limbs tied together by ultra-thin wire.

Jorge charges forward. Mario steps back and Jorge's **Stand** shreds the remaining Nazis with its claws. "There are probably more in the village," Jorge says.

Mario looks up at the bell tower. "Allow me to handle this problem," he says.

Mario charges at the tower, his wires wrapping around its pinnacle. He runs up the side of the tower. As he passes the bell he kicks it, sending a loud ringing through the entire village. He swings to the top of the tower and shoots his wires down at the pile of dead Nazis at the gate. He pulls back a pair of rifles and waits.

Occupying soldiers run out from various buildings and look up at the belltower. As they look up, bullets pierce their fascist skulls, fired from the Italian man atop the tower.

Gunshot after gunshot rings out. Jorge sighs and crosses his arms. "Show off," he says.

A bullet grazes the last remaining soldier, a young blond man with a disturbing smile, giving him enough time to fire a single shot at Mario Zeppeli. The bullet strikes Mario in the chest and he falls, tumbling backwards off the tower.

The soldier smiles. Seconds later, he feels a cold claw rip through his chest. Jorge spits on his corpse and runs to the belltower.

Mario dangles from the tower by his wrists. A red blob has formed on his jacket. Jorge rips Mario's shirt open to reveal wire, wrapped around his chest like chainmail.

"All things considered, I think that went very well," Mario wheezes.

The wires holding him aloft disappear and he falls into Jorge's arms. "Easy, I've got you," Jorge says as he gently rests his friend against the tower.

"Do not worry about me, I'll be fine," Mario mutters. "My wires took most of the damage, and my training with Masters Dire and Straizo allows me to heal faster than the average person."

Just then, Jorge and Mario hear the sound of bullets in the distance. "Oh god, Joey!" Jorge shouts.

Dio and Joey hide behind a well outside the village. A soldier, one who had stepped out of the village to relieve himself, is firing at them.

"What can I do to help?" Joey asks, leaning against the slim cover the well provides.

"Nothing," Dio says. He pops his head out for a moment and is almost killed.

"Can't you use your **Stand** to hit him?" Joey asks.

"My **Stand** can only move a scant few meters from my own body, not enough for me to get close enough to strike," Dio says. "As for my other ability, I can only hold it for a single second. Maybe two, on my good days, but not after using it to get us out of the car earlier. Again, this isn't enough to close the distance between the well and the gunman."

Dio's ragged **Stand** appears and snatches the bucket from the well. Dio does some quick mental math before his **Stand **lobs the bucket at the Nazi. The bucket lands perfectly on the Nazi's head, temporarily blinding him.

Dio runs at the German as fast as his limping legs can carry him. As the soldier begins to lift the bucket, Dio disappears and reappears ten steps closer. Dio's golden **Stand** flies forward and karate chops the Nazi in the neck, decapitating him.

Jorge runs out of the village and Joey approaches Dio. He hugs his son. Joey fidgets and shoves him away. Jorge glances at Dio, who has fallen to his knees, breathing deep breaths and clutching his heart.

"Are you okay?" Jorge asks.

"I'm fine," Dio wheezes. "Stopping time, it's bad for my heart. It takes a lot out of me now that I'm this old."

Jorge helps Dio to his feet and Joey hands the old man his cane. "Come on, let's get you some rest," Jorge says.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 34: History of the Stone Mask, Part 3

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Razor's Edge

**Dub Name:** Razor Wire

**User:** Mario Zeppeli

**Namesake:** "The Razor's Edge" (Album by AC/DC)

**Appearance:** Thin silver wires.

**Abilities: **Razor's edge allows Mario to create ultra-thin, ultra-sharp lengths of wire from his hands. Using this wire, Mario can swing through the air, tie up opponents, channel Hamon, and create weapons or armor.

**Stats:** Power-C, Speed-C, Range: B, Durability-A, Precision-A, Potential-B


	34. Chapter 34: The Stone Mask, Part 3

Jorge sets Dio down at a table outside a bar. "Thank you," Dio says.

"Take it easy, old man. I'll go get us something to drink," Jorge says before walking off.

Mario and Joseph are sat at the table next to Dio. Mario's shirt is unbuttoned, revealing a large bruise on his chest. He looks at Dio's tired eyes and labored breathing. "How long did you freeze time?" he asks.

"Three seconds," Dio says.

"You said it was only safe to do it for one second," Joey says.

"I know what I said. I decided being shot in the head was more unsafe," Dio snaps. He sighs. "In my prime, I could hold time frozen for five seconds with ease. Now, I struggle to use my **Stand** at all. The irony that I have been stripped of my strength by the passage of time has not been lost on me."

Jorge sets down a pitcher of water and a bucket of ice on the table. Mario grabs an ice cube and places it on his chest. "I talked to some of the locals. Apparently, the Nazis showed up a week ago and set up camp near the temple. They've been kidnapping locals and dragging them to the temple for experiments," Jorge says. "The people they take away don't come back."

"Why are they doing experiments here?" Mario asks.

"Because they're Nazis and they're awful."

"No, I know that. But they can do human experiments in their own country. They _do_ human experiments in their own country, horrific ones. Why would they come all the way to Mexico to experiment on civilians?"

"It has to be related to the artifacts Dire and Straizo found," Dio says.

"Do you think they found a **Stand Arrow**?" Jorge asks.

"Or something even worse," Mario says.

"What is worse than a **Stand Arrow**?" Jorge says.

Mario shrugs. "I do not know, but I have a bad feeling about that temple," he says.

"Well, no shit. It's an ancient Aztec temple filled with terrifying artifacts and Nazis," Jorge says. "We'll deal with it later. You two need to rest."

"We'll go after sunset. The cover of night will make infiltration easier," Dio says.

The four of them sit in a small room at the local inn. Dio lies on the bed, eyes closed in sleep. Jorge bounces a ball against a wall again and again, bored out of his mind. Mario stands on the balcony, holding a cigarette. Joey sits on a dresser reading his comic book.

Joey walks off to the restroom. As the door closes behind him, Dio glances over at his nephew. "George, I have a question," he says.

"Shoot," Jorge says.

"Why did you bring the boy along with us?"

Jorge continues throwing the ball against the wall. "I'm worried about him," he says. "He's so quiet, so shy, so timid. He doesn't have friends at school. Most days, he just sits at home, his nose buried in a comic book. I worry that Lisa and I coddled him too much. Or didn't coddle him enough. I don't know."

Dio sighs. "You're worrying too much," he says. "Joseph is simply introverted. Erina worried about you in much the same way, when you were his age."

"Yeah, and look how I turned out," Jorge says with a halfhearted smile. "You know, he hasn't developed a **Stand** yet. I developed one when I was his age."

"You developed a **Stand** when your father died of cancer and you were beaten half to death in a street brawl," Dio says. "Besides, the idea of children inheriting **Stands** is still a new concept to the Foundation. We were shocked when Mario was born with one."

"Maybe you're right," Jorge says. "You know, traveling the world with you as a kid, exploring ancient ruins, fighting evil, it really helped me grow into the person I am today. I think that's why I brought Joseph along, to try and give him some of the same experiences I had."

"I'd like to point out the fact that I never made you fight armed soldiers as a child," Dio says.

"In my defence, I didn't know the Nazis were going to be here. I thought we were just going to explore some cool ruins with Marzie's monk friends."

Jorge reaches for the ball and it slips through his fingers, landing on his face. He sighs and swats the ball away. He glances over at the door and sees that it is open. Joseph Joestar stands on the other side of the doorway, staring down at his father.

"Uh, hey there, sport. How was the bathroom?" Jorge asks. "Sorry, that was a really weird thing to say. I'm going to go talk to Marzie for a bit now."

Dio sighs as Jorge skitters out of the room. He glances at young Joseph Joestar. "Your father is an imbecile," he says.

"I'm well aware," Joey replies.

Mario Zeppeli holds the cigarette between his ring and pinky fingers. He takes in a deep breath and snaps. The cigarette ignites. Mario doesn't move it to his mouth; instead, he just stares at the cigarette, watching as the ash flutters down onto the balcony.

"Neat trick," Jorge says, closing the door behind him. "Lighting it without a match, wish I could do that."

"I could teach you," Mario says.

"No, I'm fine," Jorge says. "But, the fact that you could teach me how to do your trick is what I want to talk to you about. Lighting that cigarette, you didn't do that with your **Stand**, did you? You used that martial arts thingy Dire taught you."

"**Sendo Hamon**," Mario says.

"Yeah, that thing," Jorge says. More ash flutters down from Mario's cigarette. "You've been stronger, since you trained with those monks. I can tell. I used to be able to kick your ass, no problem, but now I think you may be a bit stronger than me."

"Perhaps," Mario says.

"How does it work?"

Mario sighs and looks up at the midday sky. "All life on earth is fed by the sun. The plants take it in so they may grow, the herbivores eat the plants so they may run, the carnivores eat the herbivores so they may hunt, the fungi eat the carnivores so they may spread. Everything comes from the sun," Mario says. "The art of **Sendo Hamon** teaches us how to extract the energy of the sun into our body, making us stronger, quicker, and capable of healing faster. The Sendo Monks created **Hamon** as a way to fight off creatures of the night that hunted mankind in prehistoric times. Of course, those creatures are all dead now.

"The guys that we're here to find, the ones who taught you this stuff, are they **Stand Users**?" Jorge asks.

"No," Mario replies.

"But they are strong, right?"

"Incredibly. Even with my **Razor's Edge**, I was unable to land a single blow on Master Dire when we met."

"And this **Hamon** stuff, anyone can learn it?"

"With enough time, yes," Mario says. "Jorge, would you like me to teach you the art of **Hamon**?"

"I want you to teach Joey," Jorge says.

"I understand," Mario says. Ash falls from the cigarette in his hand. "It will take time, of course. I'm not an experienced teacher."

"That's fine."

"I'll begin his training tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Marzie, you're a great guy," Jorge says with a handshake. He turns to walk away but stops, glancing back at the cigarette. "I gotta ask, what's with the cigarette?"

"I don't smoke anymore, it interferes with my breathing. But I still light them. I like to watch the ashes fall," Mario says.

"Why?"

"That's a good question," Mario says. He doesn't say anything else after that.

"Okay, I'm gonna ignore your cryptic weirdness," Jorge says. "Can I have it, because I'll actually smoke it?"

Mario tosses the cigarette to Jorge. It slips through Jorge's fingers and lands on the rug beneath his feet, setting it ablaze. "Shit!" Jorge says as he stomps on the rug. He summons his **Stand** and freezes the balcony.

Mario laughs. "Never change, my friend," he says.

Jorge, Mario, and Dio walk through the blue sands of the moonlit desert. Joseph is hiding back at the hotel. They spot a large temple in the distance. The trees that hid it have been cut down, a large facility built in their place. A chain-link fence surrounds the perimeter of the temple and spotlights shine on its steps.

"I'd say we're in the right place," Jorge says.

"This camp is certain to be swarming with guards," Dio says. "We need a plan to get in without getting shot."

Jorge stares at the gate of the facility. An unmarked jeep drives up to the gate and it slides open. The jeep drives away and the gate closes behind it.

"Okay, I have a plan," Jorge says.

The truck drives a mile into the desert. It stops at the edge of a large, naturally occurring pit. The soldiers driving the truck step out and gag.

One of them says something in German that roughly translates to _I hate this place, it smells terrible_.

The other Nazi coughs and covers his mouth. He says something that roughly translates to _let's just get this over with so we can go home_.

They walk to the back of the truck and pull out a body by its ankles. The corpse is still slightly warm, but its joints are stiff. Fortunately, the blood drained corpse isn't very heavy.

The Nazis toss the body into the pit and walk back to their jeep. One of them tries to open the door. It won't open for some reason. He turns back to his partner to complain, but his partner is gone.

"Hermann?" he says quietly.

A fist that he cannot see strikes him in the side of the head and he falls to the ground. His attacker, an old man, pokes him with a cane. The Nazi doesn't react and the old man smiles, satisfied.

Mario crawls out from underneath the car. Thin wires run from his hands. He tugs on them, pulling a tied up Nazi out from under the car.

Jorge jumps down from the cars roof and begins undressing one of the Nazis. "There are only two uniforms, so you'll have to hide in the back, old man," he says to Dio.

"What do you think they were doing out here?" Mario asks

"Looked like they were disposing of a body," Jorge says. "Probably one of their experiment victims."

Mario walks up to the pit and gasps. "What?" Jorge says as he walks up next to him.

"Fuck," Jorge says as he reaches the edge of the pit.

Bodies, hundreds of dead bodies, lie in the pit. Some mutilated, some burned, some covered in slash marks and drained of blood. Their features are indistinct under the moonlight but their sprawled limbs and dark faces stained with blood are clear.

None of the three men says anything for several moments. "Come on, let's get out of here," Jorge says as he walks back to the jeep.

Dio follows, but Mario stays at the edge of the mass grave. He spots something interesting and jumps down into the pit.

"The fuck are you doing, Marzie?" Jorge shouts.

Mario walks over to a pair of large bodies sitting in the center of the pit, one with flat blonde hair and one with long black hair. Both of the bodies wear golden robes. The one with the long black hair wears a silver necklace containing a red jewel.

Wires stretch from Mario's hand and wrap around the jewel, pulling it back to his hand. Mario climbs out of the pit. "Masters Dire and Straizo are dead," he says.

"Are you sure?" Jorge asks.

Mario nods. "Yes, I am," he whispers.

Jorge walks back to the jeep and pulls open its door. "Fuck it, let's go kill some Nazis," he says.


	35. Chapter 35: The Stone Mask, Part 4

The stolen truck pulls to the gate of the fence surrounding the Aztec temple. Mario sits in the driver's seat, draped in a stolen uniform. A guard barks something at him in German and he nods nervously. He pulls out an ID showing someone else's face and the guard snatches it. He glances at the ID and at Mario a few times before shrugging and handing it back to Mario. He opens the gate and Mario drives on in.

"Not the brightest fascists, are they?" Jorge says as the truck pulls to a stop behind a tent.

"Be quiet, we do not want to wake our enemies up," Mario says.

The duo walk around to the back of the truck and pull away part of the tarp. Dio climbs out, helped down by Mario. "I spotted an armory as we drove in," Dio says. "Zeppeli, go to the armory and grab as many explosives as you can carry, then hide them around the camp."

"Understood," Mario says.

"Jorge, you and I are going to sneak into the brick building in the center of camp, what I assume to be the main office. I want to know what about this temple attracted the Nazis, and what about it caused so many deaths."

"Sounds good to me," Jorge says.

Mario swings away using his **Stand** and Jorge and Dio sneak through the camp, ducking between tents and hiding in shadows from peering guards. The two of them arrive at a large building in the center of the camp. Jorge taps it with his fingers. "This is brick," he says. "Whatever they keep in here, it's important enough for them to put time and care into their construction."

Jorge summons his **Stand**, **Black Ice**, who places its hand on the wall. The **Stand** concentrates and channels cold into the bricks. Small pockets of moisture within the bricks freeze and expand, cracking the wall. **Black Ice** precisely strikes these cracks with its icicle claws. A hole forms in the weakened wall.

Dio Brando stands on the other side of the wall, arms crossed. "How'd you get in here?" Jorge whispers as he steps into the building.

Dio glances at an open window beside the hole. "Oh, that would have probably been an easier way in," Jorge says. He turns around and fills the hole back up with ice, partially hiding his clumsy breakin.

The duo are standing in an office containing a large desk and filing cabinets. Jorge picks up a nameplate sitting on the desk. "Major Rudol von Stroheim," he reads. "Guess that's the guy in charge."

Dio pulls open a filing cabinet and begins flipping through the files. "Interesting," he says.

"What?"

"All of the reports written by German soldiers are in German," he says dryly before closing the filing cabinet.

The duo exit the office and sneak through the deserted building, glancing in rooms full of filing cabinets and medical instruments. "Things aren't adding up," Dio says.

"What do you mean?"

"All of those bodies in the desert were prisoners at one point in time. I assumed they would be kept in this building, because it is the only one sturdy enough to contain a large number of people, but these offices are spotless."

Dio furrows his brow and thinks for a moment. An idea pops into his head and he walks down the hallway, tapping on the floor with his cane. "You okay, old man?" Jorge asks.

"Listen to this," Dio says. He taps on one part of the floor and it makes a dull noise. He then steps to the side and taps a different part of the floor. It makes a different, echoing noise. "There's a secret basement."

Jorge cracks his knuckles. "Wanna bust our way in?" he asks.

"No, I don't. That would draw unwanted attention," Dio replies.

Dio glances in the window of one of the offices and smiles. He pushes open the door and walks over to a filing cabinet. "Look at this," he says, pointing at the ground in front of the cabinet with his cane.

Jorge leans down. The ground next to the other filing cabinets is covered in dust, but the ground in front of the cabinet Dio points out is clear. "The dust is different," he says.

Dio pulls open the bottom compartment with his cane and hears a slight click. The cabinet sinks into the wall, revealing a ladder going stretching deep into the earth

Jorge jumps down and looks around. The large basement is covered in sterile white surfaces and illuminated by fluorescent ceiling lights. There's a single guard, asleep at his desk; Jorge covers his mouth and nose with ice as he sleeps. One of the walls is covered in metal shutters. A glass chamber sits at the far end of the basement

Dio slowly climbs down the ladder, helped by his nephew. "I believe this is what we were looking for," Dio says.

Jorge walks up to the shutters and presses a button on the wall. The shutters retract into the ceiling, revealing dark cages. The smell is putrid, Jorge dares not look at what lies inside.

"Is there anyone still alive in there?" he shouts. No one responds. He presses the button again and the shutters lower.

"It seems they ran out of test subjects," Dio says.

"Yeah," Jorge says quietly.

The duo walk over to a large metal table in the center of the room. On it sits a glass case containing a stone mask. "I think that might be what they found in the temple," Jorge says.

"Perhaps," Dio says. He steps away from the table and walks over to the glass chamber connected to the far wall. Upon closer inspection, Dio notices a bloody chair and rusty chains inside the chamber, and that the chamber glass is cracked. He presses a button on the side of the chamber and blinding violet lights turn on all throughout the glass box. He covers his eyes and walks away from the chamber.

When his vision finally clears up, he sees Jorge leaning against the table. The glass case over the stone mask has been broken and the mask now covers Jorge's face. "What on earth are you doing?" he asks.

"Trying on the cool Aztec mask. I'm hoping it will let me talk to ghosts or turn invisible or something," Jorge says. "Am I invisible?"

"No, your immaturity is very easy to spot."

"And I don't see any ghosts either. I guess the mask is just a mask."

"Take that thing off, it gives me a bad feeling."

"Nah, I think I'll keep it."

Before Dio can call his nephew an imbecile, the sound of an alarm fills the camp. "That's bad," Jorge says. "You can't tell, because of the cool mask, but I'm frowning now."

"We need to get out of here, now!" Dio shouts as he runs for the ladder.

"Do you think they got Marzie?" Jorge asks.

"I don't know, but I know that things aren't good," Dio says, his **Stand** pulling him up the ladder.

Dio and Jorge dash out of the building and come face to face with two dozen armed soldiers standing under violet floodlights. The soldiers turn, and the sound of twenty guns cocking floods the air. "Probably should have peaked out the door before running out," Jorge says, putting his hands over his head.

"Yes, that would have been wise," Dio replies.

"Think we can take them?"

"A few of them, yes, but not all of them."

"Okay, cool. Been nice knowing you. You can't tell, because of the cool mask, but I'm frowning right now."

"Hush, Dio says. He clears his throat. "Do any of you speak English? I would like to speak with my executioner before I perish."

"I speak a little English, mein gefangener," a cheery voice says. Several soldiers step to the side as a tall man wearing a monocle and military uniform walks to the front of the crowd.

The man has tall blonde hair, carefully combed into a wide flat top. He sports a wide, toothy grin that unnerves Jorge. "I am Major Stroheim, commander of this unit," he says. "Who are you, and why are you in my camp dressed as my men?"

"My name is Dio Brando, this is my nephew George," Dio says.

"Is that a British accent I detect? Tell me, what is an elderly Englishman like yourself doing in Mexico?"

"What is a regiment of Nazi soldiers doing in Mexico?"

"Ah ah ah," Stroheim says, waving his finger. "I am the one with the plethora of machine guns, Mr. Brando. I'm the one in charge here."

"Keep telling yourself that," Jorge says.

Stroheim laughs. "Oh, it is refreshing to meet an Englishman who doesn't piss his pants in terror when he comes face to face with the superior firepower of the German army," he says. "Seriously though, why are you here?"

"We were summoned here by acquaintances of ours, a pair of monks," Dio says.

"Oh yes, I remember them," Stroheim says. "They were a pain in the hintern to deal with. But, deal with them I did, as I shall now do with the two of you-"

"Wait, before you kill us, can you answer a few questions for me?" Jorge shouts.

"And why would I tell you anything?"

"Come on. Evil military commander, monocle, upbeat persona, you've gotta be just dying to give a monologue about your nefarious plans," Jorge says.

Stroheim laughs. "Okay, fair enough," he says. "We are here for the glory of the fatherland. Our conquest to cleanse the world of the inferior requires us to advance our already superior German science to heights you cannot fathom. Ironically, though, our path to greatness has come from this dung heap."

"Chill with the racism for like, five seconds, and get to the point," Jorge says.

"In the temple your monk friends discovered, we found a weapon of unimaginable power. An ancient mask that allows us to turn mere men into the ubermensch!"

Dio glances at Jorge, who is still wearing the stone mask, and groans. "This mask doesn't do shit," Jorge says.

"Oh, of course you would say that," Stroheim says. "You lack the weeks of brutal testing we did on innocent civilians to understand the mask. Under the correct stimuli, that mask will give you uncomparable speed, strength, and endurance. Now then, hand it over."

"Why would I hand it over?" Jorge says, poking the mask to try and turn it on.

"The mask is not turned on by mere poking, nephew Brando," Stroheim says. "Besides, the mask cannot save you. It gives great strength, yes, but also a great weakness: those given power by the mask burn up in sunlight like ice cubes."

"Ice cubes don't burn, the melt, dumbass," Jorge says.

"Also, it is the middle of the night," Dio says.

"Yes, but have you not noticed the lights shining down on you? Ultraviolet light, the same as the sun. The mask cannot help you. You are going to die."

"No, we aren't," Jorge says. "You see, you shitty shitbag shitstain garbage fucker, there's something you haven't noticed."

"Oh? Pray tell, what is that?" Stroheim says.

"The thin wires wrapped around your arm."

Mario Zeppeli tightens his wires, wires covertly wrapped around the battalion of soldiers from the shadows as Jorge stalled for time. Severed limbs, pained screams, and geysers of blood fill the air as the wires tear the Nazis to pieces. Jorge summons his **Stand**, who creates a wall of ice to protect Jorge and Dio from stray bullets.

As his men fall, Stroheim stays standing. The wires, as sharp as they are, fail to cut through his arm. He yanks back, pulling Mario out from the shadows between two tents. He grabs a gun from a dead man and points it at the knocked prone Mario.

Dio kicks off the ground with his **Stand**, sending him flying over the wall of ice. His **Stand** charges forward and strikes Stroheim in the face, knocking him back and stopping him from killing Mario.

Jorge runs up as Dio helps Mario to his feet. "Good job, team, we killed the Nazis," he says.

"Not...quite," Stroheim groans from the ground, his face covered in blood. He pulls a pistol from his belt and fires it. The bullet grazes Jorge's side.

Dio's **Stand** punches Stroheim through the chest as Dio runs to his nephew. "Are you okay?" Mario asks.

"Just a graze," Jorge says, holding his side with his hand. "Let's get out of here."

As the three men walk out of the camp, Mario detonates the explosives, consuming the camp in a blazing fireball. "I think that went well, all things considered," Jorge says.

"George, may I ask you a question?" Dio says.

"Go ahead."

"Why on earth are you still wearing the cursed Aztec mask?"

"Because it's really cool looking. Marzie, back me up on this. The mask looks awesome, right?"

"It does look very nice, my friend," Mario says.

"Take it off and destroy it, before something bad happens," Dio says.

"Jeeze, calm down," Jorge says. He takes his hand off his side and grabs the mask. He screams as spikes burrow into his skin.

"Jorge!" Mario yells as his friend falls to his knees."

Dio's **Stand** rips the mask off and crushes it under its heel. Jorge's skin is pale, his pupils are vertical like those of a snake, and two fangs poke out over his lips.

"Jorge?" Mario asks, his voice wavering.

Jorge strikes Mario with newly formed claws, creating a large gash on Mario's forehead. Jorge licks his claws and runs off into the night.

"This is bad," Mario says, clutching his forehead.

"He activated the mask," Dio mutters. "He turned into the superior man Stroheim spoke of."

"No, not a superior man," Mario says, shaking his head. "I saw his eyes, those were not the kind eyes of my friend. Those were the eyes of a beast that has forsaken all humanity."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 36: Black Ice and Razor's Edge, Part 1


	36. Chapter 36: Black Ice, Part 1

He stumbles through the night, his hands on his head. He feels sick, sicker than he ever imagined possible. His senses are stronger than ever; he hears the sound of every fly flapping its miniscule wings, smells the trails of scent left by every rodent, sees the blackness of the night as clearly as midday.

His stomach roars. The hunger burns, blocking out any other thought. He knows that he must hunt. So he hunts.

"Jorge? Are you here?" Mario says as he opens the door to their inn room.

Jorge Joestar isn't there, but Joey is. He sits on one of the twin beds, reading his comic. "Mr. Zeppeli? Is something wrong?" he asks.

"Young Joseph, has your father been to this hotel room recently?" Mario asks.

"Not since you guys left. What's going on?"

Dio slowly walks into the room. "Is Geoge here?" he asks.

"No, he is not," Mario says.

"Why isn't my dad with you?" Joey asks.

"If he isn't here, then he's out in the desert," Dio says.

"The sun will rise in a few hours," Mario says. "If what Stroheim said is correct-"

"He'll perish in the morning light," Dio says quietly.

"He'll what?" Joey asks.

"We need to find him," Mario says.

"George isn't stupid, despite how he acts. He heard Stroheim's warning. If he still has some semblance of intellect, he'll try to find shelter," Dio says.

"This is a rural area, there must be small farms where he could be hiding," Mario says.

"What's going on!" Joey shouts, standing up on the bed.

Dio and Mario both stare at him. "Sorry," he mutters before sitting back down.

"We found the cursed item Masters Dire and Straizo warned of, a demonic mask that turns men into beasts," Mario says.

"Your father, in a stroke of brilliance, put it on," Dio says. "He screamed like he was dying, attacked Mario, and ran off into the night."

"Jorge is scared, he is injured, he may not be in the right mind," Mario says. "We need to find him before he hurts himself or others."

"What should I do?" Joey asks.

Dio sighs. "Nothing," he says. "You should do nothing."

"But-"

"Things are serious now. Your father shouldn't have brought you in the first place, but he did, and keeping you alive now falls to me," Dio says sternly. "Stay here while Zeppeli and I go find him."

"Dio, I would like to look for him alone," Mario says. "He has not come back to the hotel room yet, but if he does, you should be here to deal with him."

"Are you sure?" Dio asks.

"I am sure," Mario says.

He turns to walk out of the room. "Mr. Zeppeli?" Joey says.

"What is it, Joseph?" Mario says, glancing over his shoulder.

"You have a cut," Joey says, gesturing to his forehead.

Mario places a finger on his temple and a thin wire extends out from his finger, sewing the wound shut.

An hour and a half later, Mario stands at the edge of a large farm out in the desert. He glances at the sky. Dawn will come soon. He hops a fence and walks through a field of dead cattle. Dozens of them lie on the cold ground, their throats slit, thin from the bloodloss. Mario sighs. "What have you become, my friend?" he mumbles.

He climbs out of the field and looks around. A small farmhouse and an old barn sit in front of him. A path of bloody footprints leads from the fence to the house. After checking the house, Mario opens the door of the barn.

Jorge sits on a bale of hay, his mouth, neck, and hands all stained red by a night of hunting. "Hey Marzie, how's it going?" Jorge mutters.

"Are you okay?" Mario says, taking a step towards Jorge.

"Fuck if I know," Jorge says with a pained smile. "Are Dio and Joey with you?"

"It is just the two of us. I told them to wait at the hotel, in case you came back."

"That's good, I don't want my son to see me like this."

"I saw what you did to the cows, Jorge. My friend, what has happened to you?"

"I don't know, Marzie. The mask turned me into something...something not human," Jorge says. "All of a sudden, all I felt within me was hunger and hate. It took all of my strength to not kill you and Uncle Dio. I was like a wild animal. But I'm better now, I fed on the cows, and I've regained my sanity."

"You had enough of your mental faculties left to seek shelter from the rising sun, I suppose," Mario says.

"Yeah, I'm good now."

"You're good now."

"I'm good now," Jorge repeats, not fully convinced of it himself. "Look, I don't know what's wrong with me, I don't know where we go from here, but I know I'm still me. Everything is going to be okay."

"I wonder, do you believe your own lies?" Mario says, taking another step forward.

"What are you talking about, Marzie?" Jorge asks.

"There were a lot of dead cows in that field," Mario says, raising his arms in a fighting stance.

"I was hungry," Jorge mutters.

"One cow wasn't enough. Two cows weren't enough. An entire herd wasn't enough to satiate your hunger!" Mario shouts, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Mario, you don't want to say what you're about to say."

"I went into the house, Jorge! I saw the bodies. I saw what you did, I saw the innocent people my friend slaughtered in a fit of rage!"

"I was hungry!" Jorge shouts, fangs flaring.

Wires shoot out from Mario's fingers and tie around Jorge. Jorge struggles to break free. "Calm yourself, my friend. It will all be over soon," Mario says.

"You didn't bring the old man or the kid!" Jorge shouts. "Why did you come alone?"

"Because they do not love you, not in the way I do. They care too much to stand against you, but not enough to save you from yourself!" Mario shouts.

Jorge hisses and tries to rip off his bindings. "I do not know everything, I suspect I never will, but I do know this: my friend would not tear a family apart like the beast who stands before me did!" Mario shouts. "My masters spoke of legends, ancient tales of their orders battles against cursed creatures of the night. You are not my friend, you have ceased to be Jorge Joestar. Now, you are nothing more than a demon to be slain!"

Mario takes a deep breath and floods his wires with golden **Hamon **energy. Jorge screams as they burn his skin. "May your spirit find peace, my friend," Mario whispers.

"Shut up!" Jorge wails. His **Stand**, **Black Ice**, appears beside him and strikes the wires with its icy claws. Frost covers the wires, stopping the flow of **Hamon**.

Jorge rips his arms back, pulling Mario to him, and kicks Mario in the stomach, sending him crashing through the side of the barn. Jorge rips his arms apart, shattering his bindings, and steps out of the barn. "You want a fight, Marzie? Let's have a fight!" he shouts as he charges forward.

To Be Continued In:

Chapter 37: Black Ice and Razor's Edge, Part 2


	37. Chapter 37: Black Ice, Part 2

Jorge Joestar runs forward, fangs snarling, claws glistening in the night, from the barn, charging from the barn to kill his greatest friend. Mario lies on the ground, clutching his stomach, injured from the kick that sent him flying out of the barn. Jorge jumps in the air and Mario points his fingers at the sky.

Thin wires, the creation of Mario's **Stand**, sprout from his fingers, digging through the sky as they shoot towards the leaping Jorge. Jorge spins in the air, slipping through the wires. "You missed, Marzie!" he growls.

"I hit exactly what I was aiming for, my friend," Mario says with a smile.

His wires wrap around the barn's exposed rafters. As Jorge closes in, Mario retracts his wires. The retreating metal cord pulls him off the ground at a rapid rate. He collides with Jorge midair, striking the undead man in the face with a powerful kick.

Mario flips up onto the top of the barn as Jorge crashes to the ground. He roars and clutches his face, part of which has been burned off by the kick. "That kick was filled with **Hamon**, as will every blow from here own," Mario shouts from the top of the barn. "I did not connect for long enough to do lasting damage, but I am glad to see that it did enough to remove your resemblance to my friend."

"I am your friend, you bastard!" Jorge shouts.

"No, you are not," Mario says quietly.

Wires lower from Mario's hands and dig into the barn, tearing out nails and wrapping around wooden planks. Mario rips his hand up and flings a **Hamon** filled board at Jorge, striking him in the shoulder. He flings another board, and Jorge's **Stand** **Black Ice** appears, striking the board before it can hit its master and slicing it in half.

Jorge dashes forward with vampiric speed, destroying the planks Mario throws like missiles as easily as one destroys paper. He jumps up, landing on the roof of the barn. The boards under him collapse and he falls down into the barn.

"I wasn't just ripping out boards to use as weapons, Jorge, I was undermining the structural integrity of the barn," Mario says.

He stomps down on the roof of the barn and a board pops up. He kicks the board as it falls, sending it flying down at Jorge. The **Hamon** filled board slips through his defences, breaking through his chest and pinning him to a wall.

Mario leaps off the barn as it collapses down onto Jorge, pinning the vampire under hundreds of pounds of lumbar. As Mario walks away from the barn, he reaches into his pocket and grabs a cigarette. He lights it with **Hamon** and tosses it over his shoulder. The lit cigarette lands on the pile of dry wood and hay and ignites it. Within mere moments, the entire barn is engulfed in fire.

"Goodbye, my friend," Mario whispers as he walks away from the barn.

Suddenly, the air around Mario turns cold. He glances over his shoulder just in time to see the blazing inferno extinguish. Charred boards fly through the air as Jorge throws them off his back.

Jorge is covered in burns and cuts, looking like a rack of ribs left on a grill for far to long. Bits of broken barn poke out from his shoulder, stomach, and calf. His scarf, now no more than a few scraps of torn fabric, hands from his neck, still burning. Jorge blows on the scarf and the fire dies. "I have the power to make things cold, did you really think you could burn me to death?" he asks.

Mario fires his wires backwards, wrapping them around the fence surrounding the field of dead cows. The wires retract, pulling him backward. Jorge sprints after him. "Don't you dare try to run! You started this fight, you'll be here til it ends!" he shouts.

Mario lands on the other side of the fence right as Jorge catches up to him and grabs his ankle. Mario fills his foot with **Hamon**, but it isn't enough. Jorge freezes the foot, turning it into an icy brick that no **Hamon** can travel through.

Jorge lifts Mario from the ground and slams him back down. With his monstrous claws he strikes at his friend's chest. The second he touches Mario he recoils, screaming, and clutches his hand.

As Mario cuts through the ice on his foot and limps away, Jorge catches a glimpse of Mario's chest through his now open jacket. His thin **Stand** wires are wrapped around his chest like a shirt, glowing with **Hamon** energy. "Wrapping yourself in the energy of the sun to keep me from tearing you apart, that's the type of plan I've come to expect," Jorge mutters. "But you're forgetting something: my **Stand** doesn't share my weakness to sunlight."

**Black Ice**, Jorge's aviator resembling **Stand** with icicles for claws, appears at his side. The **Stand** swipes at the air, creating a trio of icicles that soar through the air and plunge into Mario's shoulder. Mario yelps in pain as the **Stand** flies forward and slashes him across the back.

Mario stumbles forward, breathing heavily. "You're trying to heal. That won't work. I'm stronger than you in every conceivable way, you can't defeat me," Jorge says.

"I don't need to overpower you. All I need to do is wait until the sun rises, or make it to that thing," Mario says, wheezing.

"The sun will rise soon, yes, but not soon enough," Jorge says as his **Stand** wraps its arms around Mario's face. Ice appears, covering Mario's mouth and nose. "Humans can go three minutes without oxygen before facing negative effects. Judging by the position of the stars, that's about ten minutes too short. Enjoy suffocation, Marzie."

Mario reaches for his mouth and **Black Ice** kicks him in the back of the head, sending him sprawling onto his stomach . It fires down a pair icicles that pin Mario's hands to the ground. "I wonder, will the blood loss kill you before the lack of oxygen?" Jorge muses. "You're losing blood like a geyser. I can smell it from here. You know, it's actually kinda intoxicating. You have the best smelling blood I've encountered yet, Marzie."

"I wonder, though, why would you allow yourself to lose so much blood?" Jorge says, eyes narrowing. "You could have healed those wounds with **Hamon**, or at least sewed them shut with your **Razor's Edge**. Unless there's a reason you're not using **Hamon** or your **Stand**..."

Jorge squints and glances over the dark field. With his superior vampire vision, he notices something. Thin wires run from Mario's hands to the corpses of slain cattle. "Oh dear," Jorge mutters as all of the cows around him explode.

Chunks of dry meat and bone rain down throughout the field, making the entire area look like a bowl of salsa. The force of the bovine bombs knocks **Black Ice** away, giving Mario a momentary chance to escape. He lifts his head up and slams it back down on the ground, shattering the ice covering his face, and rips his crucified hands from the earth. As he climbs to his feet, he glances back at Jorge.

A tall cylinder of ice sits where Jorge stood. The ice melts, revealing Jorge standing with his arms crossed. "Okay, time out. What the hell was that?" he asks.

"I used my wires to fill the dead cows with **Hamon**. The stomachs of cattle are filled with grass and methane, both highly combustible materials. Because you dried the cows out by draining their blood, I was able to create a chemical reaction that caused them to explode, raining down **Hamon** filled pieces of meat on this battlefield," Mario says.

"I don't think that's how anything works," Jorge mutters. "Regardless, it didn't work. I protected myself with a pillar of ice."

"Still, it set me up to use an incredibly difficult technique," Mario says.

"Oh ho? Do tell."

"Notice the chunks of meat surrounding you, they still glow with the **Hamon** energy I filled them with. You could make your way through this field, presumably, but the beef slurry will slow you down considerably. Now, notice your **Stand**. It is too far away to strike me without you stepping closer. These two factors make this an opportune time to do this," Mario says before sprinting away from Jorge.

"Come back here!" Jorge screams.

"I would rather not!" Mario yells back.

Jorge growls and his **Stand** fires icicles at Mario. Before the icicles can hit, wires wrap around Mario's back, creating armor that the icicles bounce off of. Jorge growls and runs forward, freezing the ground below him as he runs to block the glowing meat.

As Jorge runs, his foot slips into a **Hamon **infused rope loop created by Mario's **Stand**, ripping off his foot and causing him to trip. As he falls onto his face, Jorge's **Stand** plunges its claws into the ground. Ice spreads across the field, quickly catching up to Mario. Mario slips on the ice, flying forward and landing on a black box sitting at the edge of the field.

He smiles and slams his fist down on a button. The black box, actually a large spotlight, turns on, enveloping Jorge in a blinding pillar of violet. Jorge screams as his skin turns to dust. "I picked up one of the UV lights from Stroheim's camp and drug it here, just in case," Mario shouts.

**Black Ice** fires an icicle at the light, shattering it, but the damage is done. Most of Jorge's flesh and skin have burned away and his right arm has fallen off. He struggles to stand back up. Mario takes a deep breath, healing what he can with **Hamon** and sewing up what he can't with his **Stand**. "It's over, my friend," Mario says.

"Shut up!" Jorge shouts. His **Stand** stabs its icy claws into his chest and frost spreads over his body, filling in the holes in his skin. "I'm not dead, not yet. And it's not like you have any room to talk. You've lost liters of blood and are holding yourself together with your stupid wires."

"Yes, I do not think either of us can fight for more than a few minutes."

"So let's stop. Go our separate ways and never see one another again," Jorge says. "This doesn't have to end with us killing each other. It can end with you letting me go."

"You know that I cannot do that," Mario says with a sigh.

"Yeah, I know. So let's end this."

Jorge stabs the ground and sharpened spikes of ice jut out from the ground, some as big as two meters tall with dozens of smaller spikes between them, covering the field in pointed spears. He jumps up on top of one, balancing atop the point. Mario pulls himself up onto the top of a spike using his wires. "Falling down into this field of spikes would be very painful for me," Mario says. "You, though, with your monstrous new physiology, you would be fine. Allow me to make things a bit more fair."

Mario shoots out wires, covering the gaps between the spikes, and floods his wires with **Hamon**. "You have survived surprisingly well, considering the amount of solar energy I've pounded into you, but you are hanging on by a thread. How fitting it is, I suppose, that my thread will slay you," Mario says.

"We'll see, old friend. We'll see," Jorge says. "Hey, you know what this reminds me of?"

"That trip to Cairo ten years back?"

"Yes! With the scorpions, and the spike pits, and that one boulder."

"Good times."

"Yeah. Good times."

The two stare at one another for a moment before dashing forward, jumping between spikes. Jorge lunges forward and slashes at Mario with his claws. Mario leaps up and kicks Jorge in his ice covered face, sending him stumbling back. Jorge manages to keep his balances atop the spikes and summons his **Stand**.

**Black Ice **flies forward and slashes Mario across the side of the face. As the **Stand** pulls its arm back for another strike, wires wrap around Mario's fists, creating makeshift gloves. Mario punches the **Stand** in the face, knocking it backwards.

Jorge jumps over his falling stand and punches Mario in the face. Mario blocks the next punch with his fists. As Jorge's hand comes to a halt against Mario's gloves, the gloves unravel and wrap around Jorge's arm. Mario heaves back and throws Jorge over his head, sending him flying at the spikes.

Jorge yanks his arm back, pulling Mario off balance, intending to pull Mario down with him. Mario takes a deep breath and floods the wires with **Hamon**. As his arm begins to melt, Jorge resummons his **Stand**, who slashes the arm off.

Mario grabs onto a spike and stops himself from falling as Jorge drops into the pit of spikes and wire. Jorge lands on top of his **Stand**, stopping the glowing wires from killing him. Jorge runs up frozen spike, charging at Mario. As he runs, ice grows from his amputated elbow, transforming his arm into a jousting lance.

Mario flips off the spike, jumping high into the air, and shoots wires between his hands. Jorge reaches the top of the pillar and kicks off, stabbing at Mario with his lance. The two men collide midair, Jorge's lance piercing through Mario's stomach.

Mario ignores the pain and pulls a noose made of wire around Jorge's throat. He channels **Hamon** through the wires, burning away Jorge's neck. The two dying men, connected by **Stands** as much as their past, tumble through the air, inseparable as they plummet down towards the pit of spikes.

Jorge lands on one of the taller spikes, the spike stabbing him through the heart. The force of the sudden stop throws Mario off course, snapping the lance in his chest and throwing him down into the spike bit. As he falls, the wires wrapped around Jorge's throat follow, decapitating Jorge.

Mario plummets into the pit of spikes, covered into lacerations, a lance of ice in his stomach. His physical pain is great, but not as great as his emotional pain. He closes his eyes and accepts his fate.

A hand grabs him by the ankle, saving him moments before he reaches the spikes. He opens his eyes to see his savior, the **Stand** **Black Ice**, who holds onto an icy spire with one hand and Mario with the other.

"You won," a raspy voice says.

Mario looks down at Jorge, or at least, what's left of him. Jorge's head, now little more than dust and bone, lies on the pile of spikes and wire at the bottom of the spikes. "It was a hard fight, harder than you have ever had to face before, but you won," Jorge whispers. "Tell my son that I'm sorry. For everything."

With those parting words, the **Hamon** finally eats away at Jorge, and the head turns to dust. Mario glances at **Black Ice**, who fades away before his eyes. With the last of Jorge's strength, the **Stand** throws Mario out of the spike field.

Mario crawls away from the field and rests against a tall tree. The rising sun shines down on the spikes. By noon the ice will be gone, erased by light just like the man who created it. As Mario rests, he sees a figure approach from the East.

The dawn light prevents Mario from seeing the figure's face until it is only a few feet away. The tear streaked face of Joseph Joestar looks down on Mario. "I followed you, because I was worried about my dad," Joseph mutters.

"How much did you see?"

"Enough."

"You shouldn't have had to see that."

"Are you going to die?"

Mario glances down at the lance stuck in his stomach and sighs. "I don't know," he says.

"Afterwards, Dio and I destroyed all of the masks," Grandpa Joe says. "Or atleast, I thought we did. Apparently there are still a few of them floating around."

Kan slowly puts the mask down. "I'll destroy it," she mutters.

"Grandfather, is that the end of the story?" Nero asks.

"There's more, but revisiting those dark days took a lot out of me," Grandpa Joe says. "I'll tell you the rest when the time is right."

"Fantastic, more secrets," Johana says.

Joseph takes a deep breath. "Johana, I'm sorry for trying to force you down the same path my father led me down. It is not an easy path, it is not an enjoyable path. It is not a path anyone should be forced to walk against their will," he says. "But, it is a necessary path. My father saved lives. He became a monster, towards the end, but before that he saved countless lives. He stopped an army of Nazi vampires from destroying Mexico."

"And then he lost himself, died, and left you all alone," Johana says. "I can relate."

"Be thankful you didn't have to watch your father's death."

"Oh, I'm thankful all right," Johana says, voice dripping with disdain.

"Your father was a good man. He was a selfless man. He embraced his destiny and walked the path of heroism. And so, judging from your recent actions, have you."

Johana sighs. "Yeah, I guess I have."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 38: Floyd and Camellia go to the Zoo


	38. Chapter 38: Go to the Zoo, Part 1

Kelly Zuko lies on his back underneath his car, a wrench in hand, repairing the damaged mechanical parts. He's been at work for 24 straight hours, not even taking a break to sleep, repairing the damage done when Camellia Floyd dropped a literal ton of bricks on his baby. He tries to loosen a bolt, but it's too tight, so he zaps it with his **Stand**, **Greased Lightning**. The bolt falls from the bottom of the car, landing in Kelly's open palm. He smiles. Then a liter of oil pours down on his face.

"I swear to God, the universe hates me," he mumbles as he slides out from underneath the car. He grabs a rag sitting in his toolbox and wipes off his face.

As he sets the rag down, he glances up to see Camellia sitting on the hood of his car, staring up at the sky, kicking her legs back and forth. Kelly groans and Camellia looks down, staring at him with her big pink eyes. "Hello, Mr. Kelly," Camellia says in a sing-songy voice.

"Hello, spooky ghost child who tried to murder me. Have you come to finish shuffling off my mortal coil?" Kelly says.

"I don't know what that means."

"Of course you don't."

"I'm eight. And don't go to school."

"Whatever."

Camellia jumps off the hood and stares at Kelly's pile of tools. "What'cha doing?" she asks.

"I'm repairing the damage you did to my baby yesterday," Kelly says, sliding back. "You've had a bad few days, haven't you, honey? First you bend your fender in that awful hit and run, then you get stolen by that psycho woman, then you bend your fender again in a second hit and run, then an evil little girl drops a literal ton of bricks on you, then the psycho woman steals you again before I'm done fixing you and just leaves you at a museum-"

"Oh, I get it! You're talking to your car because don't have any friends, just like me!" Camellia says.

"I have friends. I have loads of friends!" Kelly shouts as he slides back out from under the car.

"Oh, right, you're friends with Kan."

"Well, not really. I kinda tried to kill her and now feel really bad about it so I'm helping her out."

"Johana?"

"Also not a friend. I tried to kill her and now I'm completely terrified of her and am helping her out so she doesn't murder me?"

"Nero?"

"Look, I have friends that aren't part of our little **Stand User** happy fun team. I have loads of friends!" Nero says.

"Like your car?"

"Shut it. Shouldn't you be bugging Kan or something?"

Camellia leans her head back and groans. "I was going to ask her to play tag with me but she's busy having a boring long phone call about Nazis and vampires. Nero and Johana too," Camellia says.

"Well, go play by yourself. You should be used to it by now," Nero says.

"Okay!" Camellia says. She raises her arm and a dozen bricks float out the side of her house. She reaches down, picking up and a handful of screws from Kelly's toolbox. She flicks her wrist, throwing the bricks high into the sky. She bends down and begins grabbing screws.

Moments before the bricks strike the ground, she stops them. Or, more accurately, she stops all of them but the one stopped by the hood of Kelly's car.

"What the fuck!" Kelly shouts as he slides out from under his car. He looks up at the hood of his car, dented by a falling brick.

"I was playing Jacks," Camellia says.

"With bricks?"

"I didn't have a ball."

Kelly sighs, turns around, steps into the backseat of his car, places his face in the center of the cushion, and screams. After a solid minute of screaming, he stops, steps out of his car, and leans down to look Camellia in the eye. "Camellia?" he says. "Please leave."

"But the house is boring," Camellia says.

"Then go to a park or something."

"Woodstock says I'm not allowed to leave the house," Camellia says with a pout.

"Yes, but here's the cool thing about Woodstock: Woodstock is an evil bad guy who tried to kill me and the others."

"Didn't you try to kill the others too?"

"That was two days ago, it doesn't count anymore. The point is, Woodstock is evil, which means you don't have to do what he says."

A metaphorical lightbulb appears over Camellia's head. "Does that mean I can eat ice cream for breakfast and go to bed without brushing my teeth?" Camellia says, eyes wide.

"Sure, whatever. The point is, you don't have to do what Woodstock says anymore. Which means you can go to the park and leave me alone."

"Awesome! Let me go grab my backpack!" Camellia says. She runs into her house. A few moments later she reemerges carrying a large hiking pack. Despite the bag's massive size, she has no trouble carrying it.

Camellia runs to the sidewalk before stopping dead in her tracks. She takes a step back and looks back at Kelly. "What's wrong, kid?" Kelly asks.

"It's just, I haven't left my house since my dad died," Camellia says quietly. "And I'm..."

"Scared?"

"Uh-huh."

Kelly walks over and pats her on the head. "Don't worry, I'm scared all the time," he says. "Want to know how I overcome my fear?"

"Yes please."

"By running away from it," Kelly says as he shoves Camellia back onto the sidewalk.

Camellia reaches back and grabs his wrist. "Can you come with me?" she asks.

"Can I? Absolutely. Will I? No."

"Well, then I'm not going. The outside world is scary," Camellia says, shoving her way back towards the house.

"Wait, I just thought of something," Kelly says. "If you go to the park, then you aren't near your spooky demon house. And if you aren't near your spooky demon house, you aren't near my baby. And if you aren't near my baby, you can't destroy the only thing I love."

"So, are we going to the park?" Camellia asks.

"Sure, why not? Come on, let's get out of here before you destroy anything else!"

Kelly grabs Camellia by the hand and drags her down the sidewalk. "Your house won't collapse if you leave, right?" he asks. Camellia shrugs. "Oh well. I'm not in the house so it isn't really my problem."

Camellia's eyes dart from building to building as Kelly leads her down the sidewalk. A man walking his dog passes by Kelly and Camellia hides behind him, holding on to his hand for dear life. "Stop it, you're going to break my knuckles," Kelly says before sliding his hand out with his **Stand**.

"Sorry. I just got scared," Camellia mumbles.

"Listen, there are a lot of people in the world and most of them have no desire to kill you. And the ones that want to kill you will kill even if you hide behind my leg. So stop worrying so much."

"He had a cute dog. I wish I'd pet it."

"There will probably be dogs at the park," Kelly says, rolling his eyes.

"Really? I haven't petted a dog in like forever!"

Camellia runs ahead, practically dragging Kelly, until she reaches a nearby park she played at when she was a child. Or, more accurately, when she was a smaller child. When she reaches the edge of the park, she stares in at green fields covered in benches, trees, and people.

Kelly leans down and points at a playground area with swings, jungle bars, and a slide. "Look, other children. Small humans who won't be annoyed by every single thing you do," he says. "Run along, horrible ghost child."

"And you're sure everything will be okay?"

"Everything will be fine."

Camellia takes a big breath before running into the park and joining the other children. Kelly smiles and turns to walk away, finally free from the nightmare that is babysitting. He walks ten steps away from the park before stopping, sighing, and turning back. He walks into the park and sits down on a bench by the swings.

He watches as Camellia swings up and down on a swing set, laughing. At first, her oversized backpack weighs her down and keeps her from swinging. But, after a few moments of struggling, she figures it out and swings back and forth with incredible speed, her heavy backpack actually giving more weight to her downward swings.

"So, which baby is yours?" a woman sitting next to Kelly on the park bench asks. She has brown hair and sips on a tall cup of coffee.

"My car isn't here right now," Kelly says nonchalantly.

"I don't know why you thought I was talking about a car...which kid is yours?"

"I don't have kids. I'm like, twenty-two. Do I really look that bad?"

"You don't have kids?"

"No."

"You don't have kids and your sitting next to a playground, staring at children?"

Kelly laughs nervously. "Okay, I just realized how this sounds. Don't worry, I don't kill children," he says. "I'm, uh, babysitting. See that weird girl with the victorian dress and the cartoonishly oversized backpack? I'm keeping an eye on her."

Camellia swings so high that goes turns upside down and falls from the swing. Instead of falling, she hangs midair, floating. "Oh look, something requiring my attention," Kelly says with a sigh.

Camellia slowly floats down to the ground as a dozen kids run up to her. "Wow, that was super cool!" one of them says. "You were flying!"

"Was I?" Camellia asks.

"You were totally flying! How did you do that? Can you teach us how to fly?"

"No, that is not a thing I can do," Camellia says before hopping back on the swing.

"Why not? Do you think you're better than uth?" a boy missing his front teeth says while crossing his arms.

"Kinda?" Camellia says.

The boy pushes shoves her out of the swing and laughs. Suddenly, a brick flies out of Camellia's pack and strikes the boy in the stomach. He falls down, clutching his stomach, and throws up.

"Ah, shit," Kelly mumbles as he runs over. "Camellia! No! Bad ghost girl!"

"What on earth is going on here!" the woman with the coffee says as she storms over.

"Mommy! The weird girl threw a brick at me!" the hunched over kid shouts.

"She did WHAT?" coffee woman shouts as she turns to face Kelly, eyes daggers. "What is wrong with your child?"

"Again, not my child," Kelly says.

"Who throws a brick at another kid?" coffee woman asks, furious.

"It was an accident," Camellia mumbles.

"How do you accidentally throw a brick at someone?" coffee woman asks. "That's it, I'm calling the police."

"Hey now, there's no need to get the police involved in this," Kelly says, putting his hand on coffee woman's shoulder.

"I am going to sue you and that creepy gremlin for every dollar you have," coffee woman says, shoving Kelly's arm away.

"Okay, counter offer: eat shit and die," Kelly says before kneeing the woman in the stomach. "Camellia! Run!"

Camellia and Kelly run away, chased by a swarm of angry parents and children. Kelly glances back at Camellia just in time to see her float off the ground and fly past him. "Seriously how are you flying?" Kelly shouts.

"I filled my backpack with bricks in case anything bad happened!" Camellia shouts back.

"That is...surprisingly smart," Kelly says. He snaps his fingers and a bolt of lightning shoots from his fingers, turning the park path as slippery as ice. He skates away from the crowd as they all slip and fall on their faces.

Kelly spots a pond in the distance and tries to change course, but his momentum prevents him from turning away from the pool of water. Moments before he reaches the water, a swarm of white bricks fly into place, creating platforms over the pond for Kelly to jump between. Kelly jumps from platform to platform over the pond. He trips right before reaching the shore and lands in the water.

Kelly crawls out of the pond, soaking wet, to find Camellia sitting on a bench made of white bricks. He takes off his jacket, wringing it out, and sits down next to her. "Sorry I got you in trouble," Camellia says.

"Don't worry about it," Kelly says with a sigh.

"I can't control my **Stand** very well and sometimes it hurts people to try and protect me."

"Relax, that snot-nosed brat will be fine."

"Do we have to go home now?"

Kelly leans back and places his hands behind his head. "Nah. The others are probably still talking to that old guy about werewolves or whatever," he says. "Tell you what, you tell me where you want to go, and I'll take you there."

"Can it be anywhere?"

"Sure, why not."

"Well, my mom and dad used to take me to the zoo a lot when I was little before my dad-"

"Okay, let's go to the zoo," Kelly says before Camellia can finish that thought.

To Be Continued In

Chapter 39: Kelly and Camellia go to the Zoo, Part 2


	39. Chapter 39: Go to the Zoo, Part 2

Camellia leans over the railing at the zoo, staring down at an enclosure full of lions. She bares her teeth and roars at them. The lions ignore her and enjoy a midday nap. "Be careful, it'd be bad if you fell into the lion pit," Kelly says, leaning against a tree and sipping a soda. "I mean, not for me, you dying would finally get your out of my hair, but it'd be bad for the lions if they ate some strange meat."

"They're just laying around and sleeping," Camellia says. She groans and lays her forehead down on the metal bars.

"Lions are nocturnal," Kelly says with a sip. "Probably. I don't know. Everything I know about wildlife comes from animated musicals from the 1990s."

A pigeon lands right next to one of the lions and it immediately perks up. It licks its lips, staring at the small bird. It raises up from the ground, tail swaying back and forth, and pounces. As it touches the ground next to the pigeon, its feet slip and it falls flat onto its chest, legs splayed out like a cartoon. The pigeon flies away.

Kelly chuckles to himself as he returns his hand to his pocket. "Come on, let's go find some more animals to mess with," he says.

He follows Camellia to the next pen, a large pool with a large plastic rock in the center. Penguins waddle back and forth on top of the fake rock. Kelly zaps it with his **Stand**, hoping to see the penguins freak out. Instead, the penguins shriek with joy as they slide across their newly slippery home.

"Aw, they're adorable!" Camellia shouts.

Kelly sighs and takes a sip of his soda. The straw makes that "skllp" noise straws make when there is nothing but ice cubes and a few measly droplets of liquid. Kelly sighs and chucks the cup over his head. It hits the rim of a trashcan and bounces out. "I'm going to go get another drink, try to avoid getting kidnapped or whatever," Kelly says.

As Kelly throws some crumpled pound notes down on the windowsill of a food cart and grabs his soda, he hears a familiar voice. "Kelly Zuko?" the voice says.

In an instant, Kelly turns on his heels and reaches into his jacket, pulling out three nails. Electricity from his **Stand** jumps between the nails as he pulls his arm back to throw them. The woman standing before puts her hands up over her head. "I mean you no harm! Not that I could pose you any harm," the woman shouts.

Kelly glances over his new adversary. She looks vaguely familiar, but he can't quite place her. "It's me, Sandra Dee," the woman says. "Your friend Nero saved me from Fleetwood Mac? We met literally two days ago?"

Kelly puts the nails back in his pocket. "Sorry, I've been a bit jumpy lately," he says shyly.

"It's my fault, I suppose, for sneaking up on you," Sandra Dee says. "Are you here on **Stand User** related business?"

"If I was told there was another **Stand User** at the zoo, I wouldn't be at the zoo," Kelly says. "I'm taking a personal day. What about you?"

"The same," Sandra says.

"Funny coincidence, running into someone I know here."

"I suppose. Although, it isn't too surprising. After all, **Stand Users** attract other **Stand Users**."

"**Stand Users** do what?"

"Attract other **Stand Users**. It's an observable phenomenon, the destinies of those with power are intertwined. It is common for **Stand Users** to run into one another, completely by coincidence."

"Oh, that's cool," Kelly says while taking a step back. "It's been nice talking to you, but I should get going."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, if **Stand Users** attract other **Stand Users**, that means there're at least three **Stand Users** in this zoo right now, two of which are completely useless in a fight," Kelly says, backing away. "I think I'm going to get out of here before some guy with the power to make flaming lion tornadoes or whatever shows up and kills me. Have a nice day."

Kelly runs back to the penguin enclosure, but Camellia is gone. He sighs. "Of course, just my luck," he mumbles. "Camellia! Where are you, Camellia, it's time to leave!"

"Camellia?" Sandra Dee says as she approaches Kelly. "Camellia Floyd?"

"Yeah, she's this weird girl I'm babysitting," Kelly says. "Wait. Hold on. How do you know her last name?"

"I knew her father," Sandra Dee says. "Would you like my help in searching for her?"

"Yeah, sure," Kelly says.

Sandra Dee summons her **Stand**, a floating eyeball she calls **Summer Nights**. The **Stand **floats up into the air and gazes down at the zoo. "She just entered a building on the north side of the park," Sandra says.

Kelly zaps the ground with his **Stand** and skates across the slippery concrete, chasing after Camellia. Sandra Dee starts to run after him, but slips on the greased ground; her **Stand** flies down and catches her at the last moment and she rides it the rest of the way. On the north side of the zoo sits a small, dark auditorium. Two large signs sit outside the doorway. One announces a new attraction, _The Terrifying Beast of the Antarctic Plains_. The other is covered in rules for entrants to the auditorium; no flash photography, keep cell phones silenced, do not speak during the show, that sort of thing.

Kelly and Sandra Dee step in and look around the auditorium. Kelly notices a girl with pink hair sitting in the front row. "There she is," Kelly says while pointing.

"Shhhhhhhhhh," a nearby security guard shushes. "Doctor Biafra's presentation is about to start; either find a seat or leave the auditorium."

"I wasn't even that loud," Kelly protests.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"Fine, whatever."

As Kelly and Sandra Dee sneak their way to the front of the auditorium, the lights dim. A pair of spotlights shine on the stage, illuminating a middle-aged man with a curly mustache. He wears a thick green parka and stands in front of a large crate. "This is a weird zoo," Kelly mumbles to himself.

"Greetings, common plebians," the man in the parka shouts. He doesn't have a microphone, he doesn't need one. With each word, he swings his arms in great arcs, like a maestro conducting an orchestra. "As you have probably gathered, I am Dr. Jello Biafra, the famed explorer you have all come to see."

Kelly ducks down and sneaks his way across the front row, getting him his fair share of complaints from people in other rows. "Please, stay silent during this show, the information I have to share is amazing enough to justify silencing your cellular telephones for a few minutes," Dr. Biafra says, annoyed. "By the grace of this zoo's extremely generous funding, I was able to mount an expedition to the far reaches of Antarctica, the frozen continent at the bottom of the Earth. I was supposed to bring back already discovered native wildlife. Instead, I brought back something amazing."

He pulls a crowbar out from his parka and jams it into the crate. With a heavy breath, he pops the wooden front of the crate off, revealing the creature that sits within. A large orangutan with white fur crawls out of the crate and stares out at the staring crowd. The orangutan wears a large pair of earmuffs and has a blue scarf wrapped around its neck.

"I found this strange creature in archeological ruins at the heart of Antarctica. This beast, which I have dubbed _The Antarctic Monkey_, completely reshapes everything we thought we knew about the history of man's closest genetic ancestors!"

Sandra Dee stops and looks up at the stage with curiosity. "Why are you stopping?" Kelly whispers.

"I'm interested in the show," Sandra replies.

"It's just some huckster who gave a chimp a dye job to scam a zoo. Now come on, let's find Camellia and get out of here."

"Right."

Kelly walks along the front row of the auditorium, generating dozens of boos, which he ignores. He reaches the seat where he saw pink hair and sighs. It's a different girl, a teenager with pink hair lazily watching the show.

"Damnit, you aren't who I thought you were," Kelly says.

"That's, like, cool," the teenager says. She pulls her cell phone out of her pocket and begins texting. "You should probably, like, take your seat. It's super rude to stand up and talk during a show."

"Ok, fine," Kelly says as he slumps down in a chair next to the teenager.

Sandra Dee sits down next to him. "I definitely saw Camellia enter this building," she whispers. "We must have lost track of her in the dark."

"Can't you have your **Stand** fly up and find her?" Kelly whispers.

"It's dark in here."

"So?"

"My **Stand** can't see in the dark."

"Why can't your **Stand** see in the dark?"

"Can your **Stand **see in the dark?"

"My **Stand** isn't a giant floating eyeball."

As Kelly and Sandra Dee squabble, Dr. Biafra continues his speech. His orangutang stares out at the crowd with its beady black eyes. "Your lack of response to the fact that I found a primate on the really cold continent must be a sign that my scientific genius is so grand that you have been stunned into silence!" he shouts, moving his arms widely. "And that's without even discussing the ruins. Were there once hyper-intelligent antarctic orangutans that ruled this world. Is this humble creature the last of a once-great race of supermen?"

As he shouts this last point, he swings his arms back like an Olympic swimmer. By accident, he smacks the orangutan in the face, knocking its earmuffs off. He doesn't notice this.

Suddenly, the teenage girl's phone begins to ring, filling the auditorium with a peppy K-Pop ballad. "Oops, forgot to put my phone on silent. My bad," she says. "Now, where's the silence phone button?"

"It's like, super rude to answer your phone during a show," Kelly says, sarcastic.

"Sorry, it's like, a new phone, and I don't really know to silence it without answering the call," the teenager says.

Dr. Biafra points out at the pink-haired teenager. "You there, child, silence your infernal contraption at once!" he shouts. "You're ruining my big moment!"

"Maybe I should just take the call, I have been expecting a phone call from my broker to, like, discuss my stock portfolio," the teenager says.

As she says this, her phone begins to glow yellow. "That's, like, weird," she says.

Kelly, sensing the fact that something is wrong, does the only logical thing: stands up and begins walking away. Dr. Braifa notices the glowing phone and his skin turns pale. "Oh god, not again," he whispers.

The teenager stands up and holds her ringing phone up, trying to get a better look at it. The phone grows brighter and brighter as the ringing continues. Sandra Dee jumps to her feet and summons her **Stand**. The **Stand** flies straight into the girl's chest, knocking her back. The girl drops her phone and it crashes to the ground.

A moment after it lands on the ground, the phone explodes in a great flash of light. The force of the blast throws Sandra Dee backward. She goes limp as she lands in a row of empty seats. Kelly runs over to her body and places to fingers on her throat.

"Just unconscious," he mutters to himself.

Kelly jumps up on a chair and looks out over the auditorium. The people sitting in their seats stare at the crater in front of the stage, stunned. The pink-haired teenager sits on her knees, confused. Dr. Braifa stands on the stage, horror in his eyes. "It happened again," he mumbles.

Kelly sighs and runs across the chairs, jumping onto the stage. As he lands he zaps the ground below Dr. Braifa, making it slippery. Dr. Braifa stumbles and lands on his face.

Kelly reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out a couple of nails, and points them at Dr. Braifa. "You're the enemy **Stand** **User** who just tried to blow me up, I presume?" he asks.

"The enemy what? I don't know what you're talking about," Dr. Braifa says.

"So, that girl's phone exploding, that wasn't your fault?"

"I mean, yes, it was my fault, but I am not your enemy!" Dr. Braifa shouts. "Please, everyone, you must exit this auditorium in a calm and peaceful manner! And, whatever you do, stay quiet!"

As he says this, his skin begins to glow with the same glow as the phone. "No, I wasn't even that loud!" he shouts. "Please, have mercy!"

Kelly jumps off of the stage as the light surrounding Braifa becomes blinding. A loud bang fills the air as Dr. Braifa explodes.


	40. Chapter 40: Go to the Zoo, Part 3

"Well, shit," Kelly says, looking at the crater where Dr. Braifa stood. The light that surrounded Braifa has disappeared, leaving only a hole surrounded by warped black wood in the center of the stage.

For a moment, there is quiet in the small auditorium. Then, the screams start. Kelly spots bright lights out in the dark rows of seats, one of which moves back towards the auditorium entrance. After a moment, three more explosions rock the building, one after another. The screaming stops.

Bright lights turn on as a security guard jumps up on a chair. She's a tall, buff woman, with her hair tied into two grey buns. She places a finger on her lips and shushes, a powerful shush that sends shivers down the spines of everyone in the auditorium. The security guard begins to glow.

Then, after a few seconds of silence, the glow disappears. "Be quiet," the security guard whispers. "Loud things are exploding."

Kelly walks up to the security guard, carefully stepping down from the stage to avoid making a sound. The other people in the small theater join up with him. Kelly feels a tug on his pant leg and glances down at Camellia. _You good?_ he mouths. She nods.

He looks around at the various people gathered around the security guard. Among them is the teenage girl with pink hair, who rubs her stomach and looks bummed out, presumably over her cell phone exploding. Next to her is an old man wearing a black bowler cap and supporting himself with a cane. Finally, there is a lanky young man wearing a mesh tank top.

The man in the mesh tank top wears black leather jeans, blue eyeshadow, and a flowing violet cape. His hair has been meticulously gelled into a large spike that juts out above his forehead. As Kelly looks at him, he feels an aura of menace radiating from his beady eyes.

"What's going on?" the teenager with pink hair says. For a split second, she glows gold. As quickly as it appeared, the glow disappears, leaving the teenager confused and scared.

"Is it not obvious?" the old man whispers. "Sources of loud sound, like your cellphone, Dr. Braifa, or the three people who screamed at the chaos, glow gold for a few moments before exploding."

"How unfortunate," the man in the mesh tank top says, his voice sounding as smooth as a glass of bourbon.

"You seemed to understand this before the rest of us," the old man says, gesturing at the security guard. "Is this your doing? Has the zoo ordered you to silence those who spoke during Dr. Braifa's presentation?"

"What? No!" she says. She glows for a moment and freezes. A bead of sweat drips down from her nose and falls to the ground. The glow disappears and she sighs in relief. "I don't know what's happening, or even how it's happening. I'm just observant."

"Is this some sort of magic?" the teenager whispers.

"It isn't magic, magic isn't real. It's a **Stand** attack," Kelly whispers. "Wait, are **Stands** magic? Camellia, are **Stands** magic?"

"I dunno," Camellia replies.

"What are **Stands**?" the security guard asks.

"Something that may or may not be magic," Kelly whispers.

"Arthur Clarke wrote that magic is just science we don't understand yet," the teenager whispers. "Thus, **Stands** are only magic if we don't know understand them. Also, what are **Stands**?"

"Something I don't really understand," Kelly says.

"Which means **Stands** are magic," Camellia chimes in.

"Good, now we know what's going on. Loud things are blowing up because of magic," the teenager says. A beat goes by. "Wait, that doesn't help explain anything."

"Oh, how distressing. A supernatural disaster is happening and we have no idea how to stop it," the man in the tank top says.

"We could, and this is just a suggestion, leave," Kelly whispers, rolling his eyes.

"That isn't an option," the security guard whispers, pointing at the exit to the auditorium. Kelly gets a better look at it and realizes that one of the explosions damaged the doors, welding them shut. "That's the only way in or out of this building. We'll have to wait here until someone comes and breaks it open."

"Wouldn't breaking the door open cause the person on the other side to explode?" the pink haired teenager asks.

"Yeah, probably," Kelly says.

"Oh, who could be behind this horrendous event?" tank top shouts. He starts glowing and slams his hands on his mouth. He sighs in relief when the glow disappears.

"Hold on, who says that someone is behind it?" the security guard says. "It could just be a curse or something."

"No, someone's behind it," Kelly says. "Someone in this room is controlling these booms. If we want to get out of here, we need to figure out which one of you is behind this."

"Hold on, what do you mean, one of us?" the old man asks. "You seem to be the one who knows about these **Stand **things."

"Well, I know I'm not behind this. Camellia can vouch for me," Kelly says. "Camellia?"

"Kelly probably isn't behind this," Camellia says.

"See, I have an alibi."

"That isn't what an alibi is," the old man says.

"Agree to disagree," Kelly says. "Now then, which one of you is the bad guy? My money's on the guy in the tank top, he seems really suspicious."

"What? Who? _Me_?" the man in the tank top shouts, extending his vowels as long as possible. "What about _me _could possibly come off as _suspicious_? I am frankly _insulted_ by the implication that I could be an evildoer!"

He begins to glow and stops talking immediately. Only, this time, he doesn't stop glowing. "What! I have gone silent! Why do I still glow!" he shouts.

Everyone backs away from him, not wanting to be caught in the explosion. Everyone but Camellia, that is. "Please, have mercy, dark god that has slated me for death!" tank top shouts.

A brick flies out of Camellia's backpack and hits him in the head, knocking him out. He crumples to the floor and the glow surrounding him stops.

"So, it wasn't him," Kelly whispers. "Good job, Camellia."

"He stopped talking, why didn't he stop glowing until he was knocked out?" the security guard asks.

"It's getting more sensitive," the pink hair teenager whispers. "We have to figure out which one of us is behind this before it's too late."

"What?" Kelly whispers.

"We need to figure out which one of us is behind this before it's too late."

"I can't understand you because you're whispering."

"I said, we need to figure out which one of us is behind this before it's too late," she says, raising her voice slightly. She glows for a moment and closes her eyes, waiting for the imminent explosion. Fortunately, the glow disappears before she explodes.

"Oh shit, we really need to figure out which one of us is behind us before it's too late," Kelly whispers.

"Are we the only ones in this building?" the old man whispers.

"I think so," Kelly whispers. "Wait, no, my friend Sandra Dee's also here. But don't worry, she isn't behind this. She's lying unconscious by the stage. She was knocked out when the phone blew up."

"Your friend is lying unconscious by the stage?"

"Well, she's really more of an acquaintance."

"And you just left her there, instead of making sure she was still breathing?"

"When you put it like that, it kinda makes me sound like an asshole," Kelly whispers.

"I'm a doctor, take me to her so I can make sure she's alright."

Kelly sighs and leads the old man to the front. The old man bends down and examines Sandra Dee carefully. "She has a concussion, but she'll live," he says.

"That's good," Kelly says. He glances up at the stage and sees the orangutan staring back at him from the edge of the stage. He shudders. "Creepy."

He hears a bang and jerks his head back towards the door. The security guard is security bashing the door, trying to break it down. She begins to glow and stops dead in her tracks, daring not to even take a breath. The glow disappears and she bashes the door again.

Kelly runs, or rather, quickly tiptoes while carefully avoiding making any sound, to the door. He stares at Camellia, the guard, and the teenager with disbelief. "What are you doing?" he whispers very indignantly.

"Trying to get out before we all blow up," the security guard says bluntly.

"If you make a noise, we will get blown up!" Kelly whispers angrily. He glows for a moment.

"We can't just wait around," the teenager says. "It's getting more sensitive. We've started glowing for whispering too loud. We need to get out before we blow up for breathing too loud."

"Fine, but at least be smart about it," Kelly says. He leans down and whispers a plan in Camellia's ear. "Get as far away from the door as possible, I'll open it."

The guard and pink-haired girls back away, dragging the tank top man with them. Kelly takes a deep breath and places his palm on the meeting point of the doors. Two metal doors, fused together by heat. Too strong to break apart with your bare hands, but still far weaker than solid sheets of metal.

Kelly exhales and lightning flows from his fingertips into the doorway. His **Stand**, **Greased Lightning**, pierces the metal, coating its bonds, making them slippery, weakening the welded seal. Kelly takes a step back and releases his tense shoulders. He's never used his **Stand** with such precision before.

He nods at Camellia and a dozen bricks fly from her backpack. They move together, forming a giant fist, and fly forward, slamming into the doors. The force of the bricks breaks the doors open, knocking them off of their hinges.

At first, Kelly smiles. His smile disappears when he notices that Camellia's bricks are glowing. Camellia raises her arms and the bricks fly up, into the auditorium's rafters. The explosion shakes the building and blitzes the room with falling rubble.

Kelly crawls out from a pile of wood and brick and wipes it off his jacket. His eyes dart around the ruins, searching for Camellia. He doesn't see her. His eyes land on the stage, where he sees the Dr. Braifa's orangutan staring back at him. "Oh, I'm an idiot, aren't I?" he says quietly.

Suddenly, a patch of rubble raises up, lifted up by a shell of white bricks. Camellia's protection against the falling debris. The bricks slide away, revealing Camellia, alive and well. Kelly sighs in relief.

Then the orangutan stares at Camellia and she begins to glow. "No," Kelly whispers.

"No!" he shouts as he runs for the stage. "Hey, asshole! You want to get rid of loud things? I'm pretty loud!"

The orangutan turns and stares at Kelly. The glow on Camellia disappears as Kelly begins glowing. He leaps from a chair to the stage and slides towards the orangutan. Kelly reaches the orangutan and slams his hands on its ears.

The glow disappears. Camellia floats up onto the stage and lands next to Kelly. "Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yeah, I think I'm good now," Kelly says. He looks at the orangutan. "Hard to believe, this thing was behind all this. Hand me the headphones, would you?"

Camellia hands him the headphones Braifa knocked off and Kelly places them on the orangutan's head. "Thing must have sensitive ears. Braifa put headphones on it to keep it calm, but knocked them off by accident during the show. The sound must have overwhelmed him," Kelly says. "I didn't know animals could get **Stands**. Guess it makes sense, considering how instinct-driven the explosions were."

"You saved me," Camellia says.

"I did no such thing," Kelly says.

"Yes you did, you screamed so it would target you instead of me."

"I don't remember that."

"You're braver and more selfless than you act," Camellia says, putting a hand on Kelly's shoulder.

"Don't tell anyone. If Johana and company find out, they'll probably expect me to start helping them out."

Camellia and Kelly walk out of the ruined auditorium. The security guard is talking to other zoo staff about the situation. The pink-haired teenage girl is calling emergency services on a payphone. The old man is tending to tank top and Sandra Dee, who sit on a park bench; he pulled them from the building as he ran.

Kelly walks up to the security guard and taps her on the shoulder. "Hey, by the way, everyone was dying because Braifa took away the monkey's headphones. Keep them on if you want to live," he says.

Kelly turns back to discover that Sandra Dee is awake and hugging Camellia. "And you're sure you're okay?" Sandra asks.

"Uh huh, Kelly saved me," Camellia says.

"Did he now? Well, that's good. I'm sorry that I got taken out so soon and wasn't able to do more. It's good Mr. Zuko was there for you," Sandra says. "Has Woodstock been treating you well?"

"Not really," Camellia says with a slight frown. "But it's okay, I have Kelly and the others to look after me now."

"I wish I could be around for you more, to protect you from people who want to hurt you," Sandra Dee says. "But...I can't. Not yet."

"I understand," Camellia says quietly. "After this is all over, can we go to the zoo together again, like we used to do before daddy died?"

"I'd like that very much," Sandra Dee says.

She glances over her shoulder and notices Kelly standing next to her awkwardly. "Sorry, didn't want to interrupt this...whatever it is," Kelly says.

"No, you're fine," Sandra Dee says. "I was just about to leave, actually, there's something I need to do."

"You have to leave so soon," Camellia says. It isn't a question; rather, it's a halfhearted statement of sorrow.

"Look out for her," Sandra Dee says as she passes by Kelly.

She walks off and Kelly looks down at Camellia, who's struggling to hold back tears. Kelly sighs. "Hey, kid, wanna go get ice cream?" he says. Camellia nods and the two of them depart, off to find more adventures.

As Sandra Dee walks away, she notices a man following her. She turns around to see the old man with a cane and a black bowler hat from the auditorium. She sighs and summons her **Stand**. He summons his.

"Woodstock sent you, I presume?" Sandra asks.

"Woodstock told me of your location, I came here of my own accord," the old man says. "I would have taken out sooner, but that business with the orangutan got in the way and I opted to stay on the sidelines and let it play out."

"Who are you?" Sandra Dee asks.

"I have gone by many names, over the years. You may call me Kaiser," he says.

His **Stand** flies forward and strikes Sandra Dee in the chest. The force of the blow sends her flying.

To be continued in

Chapter 41: Fortune Family and the Eagles, Part 1

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** The Blond-O-Sonic Shimmer Trap

**Dub Name:** The Golden Sonar Glow Snare

**User:** The Antarctic Monkey

**Namesake:** "The Blond-O-Sonic Shimmer Trap" (Arctic Monkeys Song)

**Appearance:** N/A

**Abilities: **Shimmer Trap is an automatic **Stand** that targets people and devices that are too loud for the Antarctic Monkey's fragile ears. Targeted objects glow for a few seconds. If they do not become quiet immediately, targeted objects explode.

****Stats:******Power-B, Speed-E, Range-C, Durability-N/A, Precision-A, Potential-E**


	41. Chapter 41: Fortune Family, Part 1

An old man sits at a table outside of a restaurant, sipping a morning cup of tea and reading a novel. A cane rests on his leg and a bowler cap covers his bald head. He has gone by many names over his long life; the name he currently goes by is Kaiser Stroheim. He is a **Stand User**, and a powerful one at that, one who has fought other **Stand User** since before most of his enemies were alive.

Two men spy on him from a nearby balcony, watching him through a telescope. "What's he doing?" one of them asks.

"He's just sitting there reading," the one staring through the telescope replies.

"Still? He's been reading for like, fifteen minutes!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Something different!"

"Okay, fine. He just pulled out a big briefcase full of money and is counting it now."

"Really?"

"No."

One of the spies groans and throws his hands up. "Why are we even waiting?" he says. "He's just an old man, let's kill him already!"

"He's also a **Stand User**," the other says calmly.

The one without the telescope slams his fist down on the roof. "So are we!"

Three metal birds appear next to him as he says this, punctuating his point. "Screw it, I'm done waiting!" he shouts as he leaps off the roof.

His birds caw and fly towards Kaiser, sharpened talons shining in the morning sun. Moments before the birds reach Kaiser, a great gust of wind appears, knocking the birds away. Their master flies back, crashing into a store window.

He crawls out of the store to see swirling winds surround Kaiser. This wind rips metal fence posts from the ground and throws them into the air. The force of the wind slams down on the impulsive **Stand User**, pressing him and his birds flat on the ground. The wind shifts and the fence posts crash down, stabbing the birds in their wings. The **Stand User** screams as blood gushes from his arms.

Kaiser calmly raises a hand and the wind stops. "That is enough for now, dearest Nico," he says.

A tall man floats down from the rooftops, carried by the wind. He wears a black bearskin cap and a red shirt emblazoned by golden crosses. "I apologize for getting carried away," he says as he bows before Kaiser.

"That is quite alright, you merely wounded him," Kaiser says.

"There was another one with him a moment ago, should I fetch him?" Nico asks.

Kaiser sips his tea. "Allow me," he says. He stands up and points his cane at the rooftop where the second spy hides. "You there, man on the rooftop. We have shown your partner a moment of mercy, but this moment is fleeting. Come down or both of you shall meet your end."

The man with the telescope scurries down from the rooftop and runs over to the man who summoned the birds. He helps his partner to his feet, supporting him over his shoulder. Kaiser looks over the two men. Both are young, early twenties at most, and wear ripped suits. The one with the telescope wears a blue suit with a purple tie and the one with the birds wears a purple suit with a blue tie. Other than their different suit colors, the men are identical.

"Twins," Kaiser says, giving a sideways glance at Nico. "Both of you have **Stands**, I presume?"

"Yes," the one with the telescope and the blue suit says. "My name is Santiago, and this is my brother Salvatore."

"Don't tell him our names!" the injured brother, Salvatore, says.

"Oh no, he knows our names. Now he'll be able to track us down," Santiago says flatly.

"Who sent you?" Kaiser asks.

"It is not our place to tell you who sent us," Santiago says.

"Yeah! We aren't snitches!" Salvatore says.

Nico raises a hand and wind swirls around Santiago's pockets. A wallet flies out of his jacket and floats over to Kaiser. Kaiser opens it and flips through the papers contained inside. "A California driver's license, a passport, twenty Euros, a punch card for a pizza place," he says, reading off the wallet's contents. "And what's this? Two room keys for two different hotels. One of these is for a room at the Hobson, a hotel in downtown London. But this other one, it's for the Reef Hotel in Los Angeles, California."

Kaiser tosses the wallet back to Santiago. "I know for a fact that an old associate of mine, a man by the name of Luther Campbell, owns that hotel," Kaiser says. "Here's my best guess as to what's happened here: about a week ago, a **Stand User** named Woodstock came to your employer and told him that she had a way to increase a **Stand User's** strength tenfold, but would only give it to someone she considered worthy, the most powerful **Stand User** in London. Campbell, not wanting to risk his own life, sent the two of you here to fight on his behalf."

"Yes, that pretty much sums up what happened," Santiago says.

Kaiser Stroheim pulls his jacket sleeve to reveal the silver bracelet given to him by Woodstock. "You will not be taking this bracelet from me. You simply are not strong enough to pose me any threat," he says. "But, there is a way for you to get it and satisfy your boss. I will give you this bracelet, on one specific condition: you deal with a **Stand User** I am personally unable to fight at the moment."

"If we can't beat you, why would we want to fight a guy you're afraid of?" Salvatore asks.

"I am not opposed to fighting this individual because I lack the strength to do so. Rather, I wish to avoid this battle due to a personal connection with her family," Kaiser says. "Her name is Johana Joestar. I will arrange a scenario where you can ambush her. Upon her defeat, I will surrender my bracelet to you. Do we have a deal?"

It's ten AM on the day after the battle against Stan Mathers. Kaiser Stroheim's bodyguard, Nico, approaches the Camellia Floyd's house. As he climbs the front steps, the doorway sinks back into the wall. White bricks shift out and cover the door.

Nero Zeppeli jumps down from the roof, landing behind Nico, his **Stand** floating beside him. **Viva La Vida** swings its fist at Nico, the punch stopping centimeters from the back of Nico's head. Nico doesn't flinch and turns around, staring Neo dead in the eyes. "Sorry for the rude introduction, stranger, but several people have attempted to murder myself and my allies in the past few days, so I am a bit on edge," Nero says. "What reason do you have for coming to this domicile?"

"Nero Zeppeli, age 21, wielder of the **Stand** **Viva La Vida**. Son of Holly Joestar-Zeppeli and Antonia Zeppeli," Nico says calmly.

"Pardon me, have we met some time in the past?"

"Also in this house are Johana Joestar, Julius Zeppeli, Camellia Floyd, Kan Nijimura, and Kelly Zuko, all **Stand Users**. With the exception of Nijimura, each of them is in possession of one of Woodstock's silver bracelets, as are you," Nico says.

"You know a lot about us," Nero says.

"It is my business to know about all individuals who pose a threat to my master."

"And who, may I ask, do you serve?"

"His name is Kaiser Stroheim," Nico says. "From your expression, I take it that you've heard of my master?"

"The name is vaguely familiar, yes," Nero says.

"Master Kaiser has heard of your victories over Fleetwood Mac, Sydney Young, and Stanely Mathers. In light of these recent events, he has decided that fighting with your group would not be beneficial to his continual survival. He would like to meet with Johana and you tomorrow to discuss surrender."

"His surrender or ours?"

"Assuming things go as planned, his surrender. Master Kaiser is willing to hand over his bracelet, as well as the other three bracelets currently in his possession."

Nero thinks for a moment. "Excuse me," he says, stepping past Nico. The bricks covering the door peel away, letting him inside.

The entire team is stood, crowded by the door, listening to Nero's conversation. "So, what are all of your thoughts?" Nero says as the bricks slide back.

"I'm in," Kelly says. "One less fight, plus I don't have to go along? Sounds perfect."

"It's obviously a trap," Julius says, crossing his arms. "He wants the two of you there, alone, for him and his minions to ambush."

"If he wanted us dead, why would he send his minion in to talk peacefully?" Johana asks. "Besides, if he wanted to kill us for our bracelets, why only ask for two of us?"

"Because he's smart. You don't tell someone you want to ambush them, you get them to relax. Then, you stab them in the back," Julius says.

"Hold on, how do we know that this Kaiser guy is evil?" Kan asks. "I mean, we know his dad or whatever was a Nazi...which is admitadly a bit bad, but that doesn't mean he's evil. What's his deal?"

"I don't know what his _deal_ is," Julius says. "All I know is that Joseph fought him once, that it was one of the hardest fights of Joseph's life, and that Stroheim should not be messed with."

"Having a meal with Kaiser Stroheim could illuminate his capabilities to us," Nero says.

"No, it's a stupid idea," Julius says. He thinks for a moment. "Actually, scratch that. Tell him we'll meet with him."

"Okay?" Nero says, confused.

The bricks slide away to reveal Nico staring at the doorway, face blank. "Have you considered our offer?" Nico says.

The bricks slide back closed as Nero talks to Nico. "Little girl, I need you to open a hole on the opposite side of the house," Julius says. He walks forward, reaching in his holsters for his **Beatles**."

"What are you planning?" Johana asks.

"I'm going to follow this Nico fellow, get some intel," Julius says. "That way, we can find out how his **Stand** works without meeting with him.

It's midnight. The sun has gone down and London is covered in darkness. Still, Julius has not returned. Johana and Kan sit on the front steps, waiting for him.

"He should have been back by now," Johana says.

"Do you think he's okay?" Kan asks.

"I don't know," Johana says. "Regardless, if we want to find out, we're going to have to meet with Kaiser tomorrow."

To Be Continued In

Chapter 42: Fortune Family and the Eagles, Part 2


	42. Chapter 42: Fortune Family, Part 2

Nico walks down the streets of London, returning to Kaiser. He steps off of the sidewalk into a busy intersection. His eyes are closed, and the light is green. Still, no cars hit him. Even with his closed eyes, he sees better than most. He can feel everything around him, see with the miniscule fluctuations in air pressure.

Suddenly, he stops. Something is wrong. He can feel something moving across the rooftops, far enough away that it's barely perceptible.. He feels Julius Zeppeli flying through the air with his **Beatles**, following him back to his master.

Nico doesn't show his surprise. He goes back to walking. He keeps walking, calmly. He turns, stepping off into an alley. He feels Julius land on one of the rooftops overlooking the alley. He smiles.

With a flip of Nico's wrist, the buildings surrounding the alley burst apart as the molecules of oxygen holding their concrete together are ripped away. None of the rubble comes close to landing on Nico, pushed away by the swirling wind surrounding him.

Julius jumps from the roof as it collapses. He summons his **Beatles **and throws them into the buildings, capturing people and moving them to safety. Unfortunately, this leaves him wide open for an attack. A chunk of rubble, lifted up by the wind and thrown like a baseball, strikes Julius in the stomach. He falls to the hard ground.

After a few moments, the two buildings have completely collapsed, covering the alley in stone and glass. Nico, of course, is fine. A mass of condensed clouds appears at Nico's side, scanning the rubble with its red eyes. It spots Julius's hand, popping out from beneath a pile of rocks.

Nico waves his hand and the **Stand** uses its powers, harnessing the wind and digging Julius out of the rubble. Julius's unconscious body floats over to Nico. Nico grabs him, hoists him over his shoulder, and walks away from the ruined alley.

Johana looks up at the Shard, a massive triangular skyscraper of glass that towers over London. "Kaiser chose an ominous place to meet," Johana says.

"True, but there is little point in dawdling outside," Nero says.

The two of them step into the skyscraper and take an elevator to one of the highest floors. The walk into a restaurant; a chalkboard outside the restaurant denotes it as _Billini Jolini's Italian Restaurant and Piano Bar_. The restaurant is small, but nice. It contains a dozen small tables covered in white tablecloths arranged in front of a large glass window staring out over London. A man in a loose fitting tie sits at a grand piano, humming to himself as he plays old rock songs.

Kaiser Stroheim sits alone at a table next to the window, holding a half full glass of red wine. He swishes the wine around in the glass and takes a sniff. He shakes his head. "A far more recent year than what the waiter claimed," he says with a sigh. He notices Johana out of the corner of his eye and smiles. He waves the duo over.

Johana and Nero sit down across from him. "Johana Joestar and Nero Zeppeli, I presume?" he asks.

"How'd you guess?" Johana asks.

"Nero is far taller than the average british gentleman," Kaiser replies. "Of course, he is far more than the average briton in many ways, as are you."

"In what ways?" Nero asks.

"Strength, primarily. You've done quite well for yourself in the past few days. Your group has fought off half a dozen **Stand Users** without a single loss. It's really quite impressive," Kaiser says. "Of course, you aren't the only impressive ones in London. I have not had as many opportunities for combat as you, but I have not let my opportunities I've had go to waste."

"How many bracelets do you have?" Johana asks, arms crossed.

"Four, as well as my own," Kaiser says. He pulls out a briefcase and sets it on the table. He pops it open, revealing four silver bracelets with red jewels. "One taken from Fleetwood Mac, one taken from Sandra Dee, and one taken from Bethany Leadbelly."

Johana narrows her eyes. "Leadbelly is dead?" she asks.

"For all intents and purposes, yes," Kaiser says.

"So, she's alive?" Johana says.

"Did I say that?"

"You didn't say she was dead."

Kaiser sighs. "Bethany Leadbelly is dead," he says.

"What of Sandra Dee and Fleetwood Mac?" Nero asks. "Did you kill them?"

"They're alive, if only barely," Kaiser says. He closes the briefcase. "Make no mistake, I am more than capable of killing your friends. Still, I am not a monster. I only kill when it benefits me, and allowing that duo to live did not hinder my goals."

"What does only barely alive mean in this scenario?" Johana asks.

"Fleetwood is imprisoned in a secure location. I hurt him, but I did not kill him. I will release him when Woodstock's game is over."

"And Sandra Dee?" Nero asks.

"Her location is a bit less...clear at the moment. I cut off her hand to take her bracelet. After losing her hand, she ran away," Kaiser says. "Let's change the topic from people who have been eliminated from Woodstock's game to a topic that is a bit more relevant: the individuals or groups still involved in this game."

"There are fifteen tracker bracelets. As I mentioned, there are five bracelets in my possession," Kaiser continues. "Assuming my intel is correct, your group has five bracelets. Kelly Zuko and Camellia Floyd both possessed bracelets at the start of the game. You, Johana, are wearing Mylo Xyloto's bracelet, and you, Nero, are wearing Syndey Young's bracelet. Your group also possesses Stefani Germanotta's bracelet; I believe it to be in the possession of Kan Nijimura, although I don't think she has put it on yet."

"You used to possess Max Burham and Louis Vuiton's bracelets, but you lost them during your fight with Young. They have presumably fallen into someone else's hands, although I do not know who. That leaves three bracelets in the hands of their original owners," Kaiser says. "One is possessed by a woman by the name of Eleanor Rigby. According to Woodstock, she'll be at the London Eye tonight at seven. I plan to take her bracelet then. The second one is owned by Luther Campbell, an old associate of mine. He returned to the US to gather reinforcements as soon as this game began. I suspect he will send weak minions after us for a while before finally having the courage to come to London himself. The fifteenth and final bracelet was still in Woodstock's possession, last I checked, although it is more than possible she has given it away by now."

Johana and Nero think for a moment. Nero frowns. "Juluis is dead, isn't he?" he asks.

Kaiser raises an eyebrow. "Oh? What led you to that conclusion?" he asks.

"You listed off the locations of fourteen bracelets. There are fifteen. You forgot about Stan Mathers's bracelet. Yesterday, that bracelet was in Julius's possession," Nero says.

"So, I forgot to mention it. That doesn't mean I killed your uncle," Kaiser says.

"You also mentioned our team had five braclets, when we should have six. And earlier, you said you have four bracelets _as well as your own_. Not _including your own_, _as well as_. Meaning you have five bracelets. This conclusion is supported by the briefcase. It has four bracelets, but there should still be one on your wrist," Nero says.

Kaiser is silent for a moment. Then, ever so slightly, a smile forms on his face. "Well done," he says. "Impeccable analysis. Although, there is a single mistake. I only kill when I must. Julius Zeppeli is still alive."

"But only barely, right?" Johana says, arms crossed.

"But only barely," Kaiser repeats. He sighs. "Julius Zeppeli made the foolish mistake to pursue a fight with Nico that he could not win. If I was a cruel man, it would be well within my power to use him as a hostage. But, I suspect even suggesting that makes you want to kill me."

"Not a wrong guess," Johana mutters.

"Your uncle will be returned to you by the end of the day," Kaiser says, crossing his arms.

A waiter wearing a purple suit and an apron approaches the table carrying a pitcher of ice water. Nero holds up his empty glass for the waiter to fill. The waiter ignores him. "Are you ready to order yet?" he asks.

"Not yet," Kaiser says quickly, before Johana or Nero can say anything.

"Oh sure, that's fine. Walk into the restaurant, talk about your crap, don't order anything. That's fine," the waiter grumbles as he walks away. Nero reluctantly sets his glass of water back down.

The waiter walks over to the bar, where his brother, a waiter in a blue suit, is pretending to mop up a spilled drink. "I thought he wanted us to kill them, why's he just talking to them?" Salvatore says as he sets down the pitcher of water.

"He said we were supposed to jump in when he gives the signal," Santiago says calmly.

"Well, when's he going to give the damn signal?" Salvatore snaps.

Back at the table, Kaiser takes another sip of his red wine. "Let's be clear, I did not invite you here to fight you," he says. "I invited you here to make a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Johana says.

"A deal that ends with you forfeiting Woodstock's game and giving me the five bracelets currently in your position," Kaiser says.

Johana laughs. Kaiser sighs. "You wanted no part in this little spat Woodstock arranged," he says.

"Yeah, but we're a part of it now," Johana says. "And us being here, taking out people like Mathers and Young, that keeps them from killing innocent people."

"True, there are monstrous people in this city that need to be stopped. People like Bethany Leadbelly," Kaiser says. Johana clenches her fist. "I removed her from the equation, and am more than willing to do the same to any other **Stand Users** that don't meet your moral standards."

"Who are you?" Johana asks.

"My name is Kaiser."

"No, who are you really?" Johana asks. "Why should we trust you? We know next to nothing about you. How do we know that you aren't the monster we should be hunting down?"

"You fought our grandfather once," Nero says. "I do not always agree with Grandfather Joseph, but he rarely seeks out fights with those undeserving of defeat."

"Your grandfather. Joey Joestar. He's still alive, isn't he?" Kaiser asks.

"As of yesterday, yes," Nero says.

"I remember our fight, if you could even call it that. Joseph learned of some of my more...unsavory enterprises and travelled to Rome to dismantle my operation. He was completely and utterly outmatched. I defeated him without raising a single finger. And I let him live," Kaiser says. "I spared your grandfather. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Nero asks.

"Because he is a good man and I have no desire to kill good men," Kaiser says.

"What did you do to make Grandpa Joey attack you?" Johana says.

"I have been many things over the course of my long life. A scientist. A brother. A businessman. A criminal. A philanthropist. But, beyond that, there is one aspect that has defined my life: I am a **Stand User**. I am a **Stand User** with incredible destructive capability. But...there are limits to my power. I sought to expand my abilities to new heights," Kaiser said. "I began experimenting with a **Stand Arrow** stolen from the Speedwagon Foundation, creating new **Stand Users** in an attempt to find one that suited my purposes. I abandoned this enterprise after Joseph showed up in Italy with the Speedwagon Foundation; I could have destroyed them, of course, but it wasn't worth the effort.

"How noble," Johana says.

"Still, some good came from this endeavor. I bequeathed a **Stand** upon a young girl you know as Woodstock. Woodstock's **Stand** was nothing special, but her new abilities inspired her to hunt down artifacts related to **Stands**. Two years ago, she discovered a charm known as the **Requiem Key** that can be used to unlock a **Stand's** full potential. Using the **Key**, she became strong enough to defeat me," Kaiser says. "She refused to give this **Key **to me. Instead, she made me an offer: she would create a game and give the **Key** to the winner. You see, even with the **Key**, Woodstock lacks the strength to accomplish her goals. She seeks to find a **Stand User** strong enough to utilize the **Key** properly."

"What does she want this **Stand User** to do for her?" Nero asks.

"I don't know," Kaiser says.

"More importantly, why do you want the **Key**?" Johana asks. "It makes people strong, but you're already strong-"

"I possess the power to kill and destroy," Kaiser interjects. "My dreams require something else. Something radically different from any **Stand** I've ever seen."

"What do you need?" Johana asks.

"A **Stand** strong enough to shatter the shackles of death," Kaiser says.

Johana and Nero stare at him for a minute in complete silence. "Okay..." Johana says, in the way a parent would say it if their child said that aliens kidnapped their teddy bear.

"We've gotten off track. Let's get back to the reason we're meeting here today," Kaiser says. "Your surrender."

"Not happening," Johana says.

"What if I sweetened the deal?" Kaiser says.

"What do you mean?" Johana asks.

"Sweeten the deal is an idiom meaning to make something sound more attractive," Nero says.

"Remember when I said that I killed Bethany Leadbelly?" Kaiser says. "That was, perhaps, not completely truthful."

"She's alive?" Johana asks.

"Yes and no. An ally of mine has the ability to trap people in a sort of suspended animation, halfway between life and death. I have the resources to painlessly remove your bracelets without doing any damage to you and your friends. Give me the bracelets, and Leadbelly will be yours to do with as you please. Kill her, torture her, question her, what you do is your decision."

Johana doesn't say anything. She just stares forward with a blank expression, lost in thought. "I offer you vengeance, an opportunity to succeed where your father failed and finally put this dark saga to rest," Kaiser says. "So, what do you say?"

"Johana needs some time to think," Nero says, crossing his arms.

"Fine," Kaiser says. He stands up. "I am going to use the restroom. I hope you will have come to a decision by the time I return."

Kaiser walks away and Johana slams her fist on the table. Nero puts his arm around her. "Are you okay, JoJo?" he asks.

"I'm fine," she says, her voice cracking. "Kaiser's smart, he knows how much I hate Leadbelly. He knows it's my weak point."

"He is trying to manipulate you," Nero says.

"I know, but what if he's telling the truth? What if I can kill Leadbelly. Don't I owe it to Josie and my dad?"

Nero kisses her on the forehead. "Do not worry, I have a plan," he says. "I will return in a few minutes."

Nero walks off, leaving Johana alone at the table by the window. He opens the door to the restroom. Kaiser stands by a sink, washing his hands. "Nero Zeppeli, have you come with your answer?" he asks.

Without warning, Nero lunges forward. His **Stand**, Viva La Vida, appears at his side and punches Kaiser with all of its strength. Kaiser barely reacts in time, summoning his **Stand's** arms and using them to block the punch. Even with this block, the punch still knocks Kaiser back, sending him crashing into the bathroom wall.

"I take it that you dislike my offer?" Kaiser says, brushing the dust off his back.

"I am very good at concealing my emotions," Nero says. "You are not the only one who possesses incredible destructive power, Kaiser. I keep my emotions in check to ensure I do not accidentally hurt someone. But, there are times when I simply cannot stay calm."

"Please, enlighten me. What did I do that make you so angry?" Kaiser says.

"You hurt my uncle, that is part of it. But more than that, you hurt Johana. Not physically but emotionally. You brought up events that have left a scar on her soul and used them to try and manipulate her. And that really pisses me off!"

"He went to the bathroom, is that the signal?" Salvatore asks.

"I don't think that's the signal," Santiago replies.

"Wait, hold on, the big guy is following Kaiser. Let's take the girl out while she's alone!"

"What if going to the bathroom wasn't the signal? Won't Kaiser get mad?"

"Who cares? Let's kill her while she's alone!" Salvatore shouts. He spreads his arms out and three metal birds appear, perched on his arms.

The birds fly forward. Two of them grab Johana by the arms, dragging her towards the window. Johana summons her **Stand**, but she's too late. The third bird headbuts her in the stomach, sending her flying through the window.

The brothers run over to the window and Salvatore's birds perch on his arms. They stare straight down, expecting to see Johana splattered on the ground below. "I don't see her," Salvatore says.

"I do," Santiago says, staring straight forward.

Johana stands fifteen feet from the window, stood atop a platform made of white bricks, her **Stand** at her side. Two more platforms raise up. Kan stands on top of one and Kelly stands on the other. Johana cracks her knuckles.

"Well, shit," Salvatore says.

TO BE CONTINUED IN

Chapter 43: Fortune Family and the Eagles, Part 3

**STAND STATS**

**Name:** Rock You Like A Hurricane

**Dub Name:** Hurricane Rock

**User:** Nico

**Namesake:** "Rock You Like A Hurricane" (Scorpions Song)

**Appearance:** A mass of living clouds with glowing red eyes.

**Abilities: **RYLAH has the power to control the air and wind in a nearby area with incredible power and precision. In addition, it allows Nico to sense nearby events through subtle changes in air pressure.

****Stats:******Power-A, Speed-B, Range-C, Durability-A, Precision-E, Potential-A**


End file.
